Zachary Hunter and the Ilvermorny Trials
by Wildeisonmine
Summary: Zachary Hunter is a troublemaker, innocent enough. But his mother doesn't know what to do with him and he finds himself lonely and isolated by a world that doesn't seem to understand him. Then things begin to change when Zachary is invited to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he starts to uncover secrets from his past.
1. A Note on the Universe

In this work Ilvermorny is only the school for the North East of the U.S. I have included a diagram on my tumblr (iliketothinkicanwrite) that demonstrates this. The Central Southern states are home to Rycheed Academy of Magicks in Arkansas and the North Western states house Crocksman School for Young Magical Persons in Washington. There is also Salem Institute for Young Ladies in Massachusetts, Rambourne School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Alaska and Plumeri State Kula for Magic in Hawaii/

Similar to State and Federal Law all three "Superstates" of Magical Activity are governed by the MACUSA. However each Superstate governs the wizarding community in each of their provinces. For example the laws on No-Maj-Wizard marriage are more liberal in the two Northern Superstates but stricter in the Southern Superstate. The Superstates are: NEMACUSA (North Eastern Magical Assembly of the Congress of the United States of America), NWEMACUSA (North Western Magical Assembly of the Congress of the United States of America) and SOMACUSA (Southern Magical Assembly of the Congress of the United States.)

Students start wizarding schools in the U.S at ten until they are eighteen. At eighteen they take final exams before doing two years at a college or an apprenticeship.

The events of the Harry Potter series have taken place in this universe.

I advise that you read J.K Rowling's "History of Magic in North America" and "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" on Pottermore before proceeding.

If you have any questions send me a PM or an ask/message on my Tumblr: iwritebutidontyoufeel


	2. Stolen Cameras and Ginger Cats

"Zachary Hunter, you come here right now." Officer Jones yelled into the swarm of people at the flea market. The boy in question turned and, realising who was shouting at him, spun back around and ran. Darting through the crowds he pulled up his grey hood, looking back every so often, he saw Jones' face get redder and redder as he pushed through the throng. It's not that he was unfit, but rather that oftentimes he spent his days giving talks at schools and being a reassuring presence to the people of West Williamsburg then chasing eleven year old thieves. Zach turned a corner and blended into a passing group of boys his age, on the way back from some sports tournament. He smugly smiled as the policeman ran straight past him. He slowly edged out of the line and ran the opposite direction. He tripped on his untied shoelaces and fell, face first onto the stony street. He couldn't suppress a small cry out. "Of course!" He sighed as he quickly jumped back up.

It was enough to get Jones' attention. He marched over to the boy who hurriedly removed his shoes and sprinted down a tight alleyway, hopping slightly. Jones was close behind. A ginger cat squealed as Zach foot caught it's tail. "Sorry." Zach breathed. He looked forward and saw…a dead end. A straight up four story brick wall with windows dotted along each story. He pushed his back against the wall, willing it, however futile, to move with all his might. He saw Jones come around the bend. He scrunched up his eyes, bracing himself for the lecture of a lifetime. "You little- oh my God."

Zach slowly opened one eye and then the next. He was, floating? He looked around and saw that he was spread eagled, clutching to the sides of the window frame. Tentatively, he looked down and saw the confusion on Jones' face. Jones shook his head, blinked hard and then looked back up, more bewildered now then before. "Don't play tricks on me, Hunter. I'm going to get a ladder. Don't go anywhere." He laughed at his little joke as he lightly jogged down the alley and around the corner. Zach cursed himself as he thought to what his mother was going to say. "She's going to kill me." He whispered to himself. He saw that same ginger cat lick its paws atop a dustbin, it seemed to be glaring coldly at him. Then his mind backtracked, "I didn't know I could jump so high." He smiled. He looked around to try and get some idea of how he got here. Even the bins were a long way from up here, so he couldn't have used them to give himself a leg up. The cat seemed to smirk at him, as if it knew exactly how he got up there but he wasn't going to tell you, because, for one thing it seemed too petty of a business for the cat and two, he was a cat! Zach felt his hands starting to sweat and readjusted the way he held himself. The way he held himself, a long way off the ground, he thought, letting out a long breath.

"I'm just going to put the washing out mami, momma'll look at your drawing in just a seco-. What the hell do you think you're doing?" A woman from inside the apartment shrieked as she opened the window. Zach struggled to keep himself up and he wobbled slightly. The woman was yelling at him in Spanish and Zach tried to remember what little he could from his classes. "Lo siento, lo siento." He garbled as the woman began to push him with a broom. Jones came around the corner, heaving a ladder. "Ma'am stop that, ma'am please." He shouted up. A toddler started screaming, the cat screeched and the noise was too much for Zach. He put his fingers in his ears and the woman gave one big shove.

Zach tumbled to the ground and couldn't suppress a cry out that escaped him just as he felt the air cushion him as he fell forward. Slowly the air seemed to guide him down to the ground where Jones caught him. "Come here often." Zach smiled.  
"You're coming home, Zach. Isabelle can deal with you." He took Zach's rucksack, grabbed him by the shoulder, apologised to the woman who was now cursing them and led him back home.

Isabelle was a pretty young woman who's looks had been somewhat wearied by circumstance. After the disappearance of her boyfriend and Zachary's father, the young woman fell on hard times and for a brief time lived on the streets with her baby. Now she worked three jobs and struggled to bandy together the rent for their one bedroom apartment. Against Zachary's wishes she slept on the sofa bed in the living area. She was catching up on her sleep; the night before had been disrupted by the scratchings and callings of a cat outside, when there was a pounding at the door. Yawning, she opened it to Officer Jones and Zach. "Oh Zach what have you done now?" She said welcoming the officer inside.  
"I caught him stealing a camera at the market." He said opening the rucksack and pulling out a camera. "Zach!" She sighed, "what are the charges?"  
"No charges Isabella, I wont report this."  
"Bella, please. You don't have to do that, you shouldn't do that. I don't want you to get into troub-"  
"It's no trouble to me Isa- sorry Bella. Just." He looked over at Zach sulking on the sofa. "Sort him out."  
She thanked him and walked him down to the door. Zach stood at the top of the stairs and listened in. "-don't know what to do with him. He doesn't need to steal he just. I'll let you get back to work."  
"It's no problem, I'm here for you, both of you."  
"Thank you Will."  
"My pleasure." The door swung shut and Zach hurried into his room, picking up his rucksack. His walls were a white that had faded over time into a dull yellow. The paint had cracked and peeled off in places, specifically from across his bed where at night, when he couldn't sleep he would throw and catch a n old tattered tennis ball. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room as it was the only one that fit. The wall was more like a roomy cupboard then a bedroom for a young boy. His clothes were a in a messy pile under his bed, which he flopped onto and it rebounded against the wall and the springs creaked.

A moment later the door burst open. "I can't believe you. You promised me this would stop, you're lucky Will is so kind. I can't promise that I would be. I mean Jesus Christ Zach what the hell is wrong with you!?" He mumbled an incoherent response as he looked ashamedly at the ground. "What!?" She yelled sternly. He didn't reply. She sat beside him on the bed and tried to put her arm around him but he moved away. "Zach, why do you do it?" He shrugged and mumbled something about having more energy then other people. "It happened again."  
"What?"  
"The moving. I was running and suddenly I was halfway up a building."  
"Zachary."  
"It's the truth!" He exclaimed.  
"Don't lie to me."  
"I'm not." He stared at her plainly. She chuckled to herself as she hugged him. "What am I going to do with you. It's your last weekend before school, let's not ruin it."

Zach groaned as he entertained the thought of returning back to school. The taunting; people calling him weird because of things out of his control. It wasn't his fault that when he got angry bad things happened. Like that time in English, when he forgot his book report on, actually he wasn't quite sure what it was on because in all honestly he hadn't read the book, but anyway the teacher had yelled at him for at least five minutes- closing her lecture with a snide comment about his talking to himself. Humiliated, he scrunched up his eyes and breathed deeply. A second later there was a shriek from the teacher. He opened his eyes to see her flying across the room. Tumbling and twirling, she screamed as she tossed and turned around the room. She ended her tour of the class with a resounding thump onto a large globe that proceeded to spin faster and faster. She leapt off and cried out of the room. He giggled as he remembered this, but it faded when he recalled the torment that came straight afterwards.

Isabelle kissed him on the forehead and went in to the living area. She sat on the sofa and a cat shrieked out in pain as it leapt out from under the blanket she had just sat on. She shrieked at it and Zach hurried out of his room. "What? What!" He cried. Isabelle pointed at the cat as she ran to a cupboard and began to search frantically for a broom. Zach tried to catch the cat, it went one way and then quickly stepped to the other and darted around Zach. He was chasing it in a circle around the room when Isabelle came in with a broom that she used to hit the cat away. "You're hurting him!" Zach exclaimed desperately. "He's a mangy stray!" Isabelle replied over the cats screeching. She hit the cats tail and he pounced over her head. Zach quickly raced round to catch him in his arms. The cat tore and swiped at him but Zach held his face away as he pushed it out of a window opened by Isabelle. The both collapsed onto the sofa and began to laugh.

Later that evening, after a pizza and a superhero film, Isabelle and Zach lay on the sofa asleep. He was dreaming of the market from earlier. It was a peculiar thing that happened once a year on the 29th of August. He was surprised to find that camera because most of the objects there were so odd. There were hundreds of thick leather bound books, strange artefacts (weirdly shaped skulls and bones) and abnormal plants and other materials. In the morning there would be no trace of it. It will have disappeared as quickly and suddenly as it had appeared. Stranger still were the people. There were teenagers moaning to each other about "all this damn reading" or children, his age, worrying to their parents. "But this is the last chance to really get everything." They wore long robes and got strangely quiet whenever he got nearer. Some even whispered and pointed at him.

Stirring at the sound of scratching at the window, he stretched and sleepily drifted over to it. There was a ginger cat there, scrabbling to get in. Carefully, so as not to wake his mother, he opened it. "Boo." He spat at the cat that simply glared at him. "Woof. Woof. Woof." He barked. The cat seemed to smile at him. He tried pushing it but it bit at him. He sighed as he picked it up and closed the windows. He placed it on the ground so he could lay a blanket over his mother. He looked back at the cat and it had gone. He heard a soft purring from his room and walked in to see it lying on his bed. He got into bed, picking it up and sitting it beside him. He reached under his pillow and pulled out the photo of his father. He stroked his mothers smiling face, her hands on her pregnant belly and smirked at his father pulling a face from behind her. He kissed it and replaced it in its spot.

He rummaged through his rucksack and felt something bulky at the bottom. He picked it out. It was the camera. He smiled as he turned it on. "Thank you." He whispered and imagined Officer Jones tipping a hat or something old timey that policemen do. He grabbed the cat and bought its cheek to his. Turning the camera, he took a series of pictures. He jammed his fingers at the buttons until a slideshow appeared.

There he was. His blonde cropped hair and green eyes. His fathers slightly tanned skin and cheeks but his mothers nose and eyebrows. He flickered through the photos when he realised something magical. Something both endearing and terrifying. Something that would change his life.

He was there, smiling his droll smile at the camera and his eyebrows raised inquisitively. Oh he was right there in the photograph alright. But there was no sign of the cat.


	3. Strange Dreams, Stranger Beginnings

Zach was shocked. He checked again. Then again. Then once more for good measure. He turned the camera off and on again, convinced that maybe he'd only just missed something. "Cats don't just disappear from photos." He thought. He rubbed his eyes, putting the whole affair down to tiredness. The cat smirked at him, almost knowingly as it curled up at the foot of his bed. He lay back in the bed and overcome by a sudden tiredness, fell straight asleep.

The dream was weird, it started off a vision of burgundy red swirls twirling and dancing with beautiful gold ribbons. They were enticing, enchanting and provided one with a sense of warmth and belonging. Zach felt himself smile in his sleep and he had a bizarre sense of awareness, a sense of knowing himself and those around him in a way that felt comforting but also totally new. Slowly but surely the ribbons and swirls of light slowly grew into a dark forest encompassed by mountains. Menacing shadows moved in the foreground and Zachary felt nervous as a long dark gravel path unfurled in front of him. The bright moon and dense starry sky had cast a teal tint across the dewy grass, making it look all the more menacing.

Then the voice started, it was a woman, her tone soft and welcoming, like a mothers. He turned and saw a young woman with long red hair in brown shin length garments, it was hooded. She removed the hood to reveal a pretty young face, her skin a pale she moved closer and held Zach by his shoulders. She guided him gently along the path, their arms walk was pleasant and whenever he looked up at her she smiled warmly and her large eyes reassured him that everything would be alright. . The moon was huge and steadily grew brighter and the stars twinkled ever brilliantly.

The path eventually came to a courtyard beside a large village of old houses with gabled roofs, the path continued through the courtyard and into the village. The courtyard opened up onto a dockyard of sorts where wooden boats floated gently in the dark waters. Zach looked up to see a vast river that stretched out as far as he could see, tall mountains running along side it. A while away from the dock was an enormous island on which sat the most incredible castle. The castle was made of a light grey stone with sky scraping towers and great halls. The castle almost looked like another mountain.

Zach began to clamber into one of the boats, all the while gazing at the castle when the woman's hand took his and led him out of the boat and to the water. He struggled against her. It would be freezing cold. "We can take a boat. Please!" He pleaded. Instead she held onto his hand tighter and pulled him of the pier. Expecting to be drowned in icy water his foot lay on the waves as if they were a floor. He looked at the woman who began to hurry across the water towards the island. "Who are you? Where are we going?!" He said following her to the castle. The pair clambered up the riverbank and approached the imposing grey fence. She pulled out a long thin wooden stick, a wand, and waved it across the fence and stepped back.

Surely a large wrought iron gate began to gently appear where she had waved her wand. The woman wafted ahead and placed her hands on the gate that then appeared to melt away. She brushed Zach forward and he entered into the vast courtyard adorned with statues of peculiar creatures and a quiet reflecting pool. There was a circular dome building with a number of buildings and towers coming of it and expanding beyond Zach's eyesight. He felt beckoned to the great oak doors that opened as he approached. Carved into the doors was a scene of a coronation. Animals and birds flocked to a woman who sat on a wooden throne with an ornate crown on her head and sceptre in her hand. On either side of the doors were too statues that reached the top of the building., one of a strong young man in a gatherers uniform and the other of the woman who had led him here.

The doors opened onto a rectangular room with the tallest walls and an expansive ceiling. Carved along the two side walls were kings and queens, each with a big cat or a hound at their feet. They all held wands and between each of them were bright torches. A set of oak doors ahead of him too opened up as he approached.

He went into an enormous circular hall, The room was empty apart from cuttings and carvings into the walls, a few torches and a glorious chandelier. Two thirds up the wall was a balcony that went right around the room. In the centre of the room was an engraving almost like a compass. Looking around the room, he saw that there were four large insignias; one with a large wildcat, a bird; it's wings spread, a snake and an almost goblin like creature. The woman placed her hands on his shoulders as she came up from behind him and whispered "My name is Isolt Sayre and this is my school."

He turned to face her and with that she quietly faded into the stonework as a deep blue flame spread out across the room. The animals on the crests all came to life and roared, hissed and spat. Zach reached out but the fire wasn't hot. Red words started to burn off the walls and circle around him. Ilvermorny, they all said in an elegant prose, Ilvermorny. The woman started whispering "Ilvermorny." The voices layered over one another, Zach scrunched up his eyes and willed himself to wake up.

He bolted upright, sweating and heaving, his chest felt intensely heavy. It was morning, the cat was still there, watching him with a cool smile. He heard his mother singing in the kitchen whilst she cooked. The smell of bacon wafted into his room.

"Morning mom." He said leaning against the kitchen doorframe. "Morning hon. There's orange juice on the table. How did you sleep?" She asked as he sat down. He thought for a moment. "Good." He waited a second. "Well, I had a dream."  
"A nightmare?" She said, putting breakfast down on the table.  
"Not quite." He sighed, trying to think of the right words- the dream had been scary but it felt right almost, he was very confused, he felt all muddled up. "Well, I had a dream." He repeated.  
"Uh huh?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow.  
"There was a forest and a castle and woman." Isabelle looked up from her coffee. "Yeah?"  
"It was called um. Oh no what was it called? Ilvermorny! Ilvermorny that's it. What's wrong?" Her face had fallen. "Mom, what's wrong?" She began to cry and he quickly stood up to comfort her. "Why are you crying?"  
"I don't want you talking about that school anymore."  
"It's a school! That's it! Isolt said it was a school." He exclaimed. "Isolt 's the uh, headmistress? I don't actually know. How do you know about it?"  
"Zach stop. It's…complicated. I'll tell you when you're older."  
"Why can't you tell me now?" He moaned.  
"Please Zach, I can't. Go and get the mail?" She put her head in her hands and Zach, however curious, didn't want to make his mom anymore upset so he decided he would try again later

He jogged down the stairs in his PJs and jumped onto the ground. Lennie was standing by the mailboxes. "Morning Lennie." He said to the wizened old man, who grunted, waved slightly and shuffled back into his apartment. He opened their mailbox and went back up the stairs. "Bills, bills, bills, bills." He whispered under his breath as he thumbed through the envelope… Then his heart stopped as he got to the front door. The last envelope was parchment and somewhat scratchy. In burgundy red elegant writing it said:

Zachary Hunter  
Apt. 2b Albany Street  
Williamsburg, Brooklyn  
New York, NY

He turned it over and saw the deep blue wax seal, it was a crest with the goblin, the cat, the bird and the snake. "Just like the fire." He said, excited and nervous. He pried it open and "What did I say?" His mom said tearing it out of his hands. "Mom, please. Just let me see it." He pleaded.  
"No Zach. Enough." She said, throwing it in the bin.  
"I can't believe you, you won't even give me a reason."  
"Yeah well I have my reasons Zach." Zach saw red, he turned and stormed down the stairs and slammed the door shut. He hurried down the street, ignoring the pain on the soles of his feet as they hit the bare ground. He kept jogging round the block and snuck down the alleyway behind his apartment.

He knelt down and crawled under the fire escape. His anger was directed more at the lack of information then anything. He had this unexplainable notion that "Ilvermorny" had something to do with his father. He heard a gentle meow and purr from above him, the ginger cat leapt down from the fire escape and onto a bin. It meowed at him again. "Go away." He spat. He meowed again. Zach picked up a stone and through it at the cat who jumped out of the way. Zach put his head in his lap and began to cry.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Said a voice, in a thick Irish accent. "What? Who said that?" Zach said coming out of the fire escape. "Me." The voice said from behind him. Zach carefully turned around to see a man sitting on the railings. "Not quite the welcome I expected."  
"You're a cat?" Zach said.  
"Well that would be ridiculous." The man laughed, Zach gave a light chuckle. "But yes. I am." He stopped laughing.  
"But that's impossible." Zach stated. "People don't just turn into cats." He was right wasn't he? People don't just morph into animals or vice versa. The man had messy ginger hair and wore a long patched brown overcoat. He had a grey scarf and black dirty boots. He had dirt on his face and wore woollen fingerless gloves. "Well that's a rather ignorant view dontcha think? Your mum took your letter, something we thought might happen, so I'm here to get you started."  
"Started with what? Who are you?"  
"There's no easy way to say this Zach. You're a wizard."  
Zach blurted out laughing. "Don't be ridiculous."  
"Oh I wouldn't joke. You are a wizard, just like your father, and his parents and his parents."  
"My father was a wizard?" Zach asked amazed.  
"One of the most promising, he was an auror, that's someone who. Well never mind for now. I'm Feidhelm, recruitment officer for Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
Zach gasped. "That's what Ilvermorny is? And my dad went there?!"  
"He was a Thunderbird prefect if I remember correctly, I read your file before I came, nasty business that was with the" Feidhelm realised what he was saying. "I need to speak to your mother get her to come around. School starts on Monday and well it's Saturday. I'm sure you saw the Last Minute Market yesterday." He said striding past him and making his way back to the house. "We're even late for the latecomers. Oh well, we'll get you sorted at Bowerie Market. Come on now we haven't got all day." Zach pinched himself, shook his head and followed.

"No way. Look I'm sorry Mr. Feidhelm but I can't lose another one to them. I'm sorry for hitting you yesterday by the way." Isabella said nervously. Isabella sat opposite Feidhelm at the table, Zach watched from the sofa. "Oh don't worry about it. It's not the first time. No-Majs aren't as compassionate to runaways but I've accepted it." He smiled but then his face went grim. "What happened to Zach's father was regrettable, but ultimately it was his lack of caution and sensibility that got him into that situation in the first place."  
"Exactly and I suppose that school's going to instil the same sense of adventure and danger in him."  
"Ilvermorny's first and foremost goal is to teach discipline and respect and control of magic. Your boy will be completely safe, I've got a letter from the headmistress for you, she thought this might happen." He reached into his pocket and gave her a letter. Isabelle ripped it open and scanned through avidly, occasionally looking up at Zach and then Feidhelm. She threw it gently on the table. "Okay." Feidhelm's face lit up and Zach jumped to his feet. "Really mom?"  
"Really." She smiled at him. He raced to the table and picked up the letter before it was plucked out of his hands by Feidhelm. "I'm sure we both agree that there is no need for him to read that." He said looking at Isabelle. "You can however have this." His outstretched arm held an envelope much like the one Isabelle threw away that morning. Zach gently opened it, not wanting to forget a single detail about this moment he looked around the room and at Feidhelm and his mothers beaming faces. It read:

Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Headmistress: Miss C.R.L Regents  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., NEMACUSA Education Minister, ICW Education Minister)

Dear Mr. Hunter,  
We are delighted to inform you that you have been invited to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find attached a list of all appropriate material and equipment, as well as a programme of study for your first year.  
Term begins on the First of September, unless specified under a previous contract with the school, please reply no later than August the Twenty Ninth.

Yours faithfully,  
Theodore Teddning,

Deputy Headmaster, Head of Control and Magical Ethics

Programme of Study

Compulsory:  
Metamorphosis  
Charms  
Potions  
Magical History  
Defence Against the Dark Arts  
Astronomy  
Herbalism  
Control and Magical Ethics

Sports:  
Flying

Electives: Elemental  
Wind  
Fire  
Water  
Earth

UNIFORM

First year students must have:

Four sets of plain work robes (navy blue with cranberry trim)

One plain pointed hat (navy blue) for formalwear

One pair of protective gloves (note: must be inflammable)

One winter cloak (navy blue with cranberry trim- must be hooded

Summer and Winter flying gowns

Please note that all student's clothing requires name tags.

SET TEXTS

All students must have a copy of the following

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic in North America  
Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory  
Adalbert Waffling

American Magical Ethics and Law  
Adalbert Waffling

The Little Book of Metamorphosis  
Emeric Switch

Chadwick's Charms Vol. I  
Chadwick Boot

One Hundred Magical Herbs and Their Uses  
Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions for the Academic Wizard  
Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Vol I/II  
Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: An Introductory Guide to Self Defence  
Quentin Trimble

EQUIPMENT

One wand  
One cast iron cauldron  
1 set glass  
1 crystal phial  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring ONE owl or cat or toad or mitedog

For the first year in Ilvermorny history, First Grade students may bring one basic broomstick: Weaver 98

Yours sincerely,  
Atticus Georgewell

Chief of Witchcraft Provisions

Zach looked up from the letter positively glowing. He looked at Feidhelm and Isabelle who both smiled at him nervously. "Why don't you get dressed and we can get your things?" He said.

Zach came out of the house to see Feidhelm on a bike. "Hop on." He shouted over the roar of traffic. Zach sat on an extra seat on the back and held on to two handles at the bikes side. "What does it do?" Zach said excitedly. "Something magic?"  
"It turns into a dragon." Feidhelm turned to him. Zach's eyes widened. "Really?"  
"No not really don't be so stupid." Feidhelm laughed as he turned around to the road. They sped off, Zach had always been cautioned by his mom to never cycle in New York but Feidhelm raced through the streets, darting through cars and displaying a casual disregard for every road law ever put into legislation. He came to a stop outside an abandoned taxicab company. He pushed open the squeaky door and tentatively Zach slunk inside.

It smelt like dust and old people and everything young people suppose libraries smell like; boredom. It struck Zach that nothing magical or especially remarkable could ever happen here. They moved through a reception and into a waiting area. There was a depressing water cooler and three hideously orange plastic chairs. Feidhelm knelt beside the fire place and removed his coat, revealing skinny arms, an orange shirt and a green woollen sweater. He placed it over the fireplace, covering it completely. He winked at Zach and removed it. Where there was once a fireplace was a door matching it's exact shape and size. "Go on. You do it." Feidhelm looked thrilled to see a persons first time entering the markets. Steadily Zach pushed the surprisingly heavy door open. His eyes adjusted to the bright lights from the dusky offices and what he saw amazed him.


	4. Bowerie Market

There was a town? A town! Zach gasped, "But there's a building next door to this!"  
"Listen bud, if you're going to be a part of this world you've got to get use to surprises, or you're gonna be gasping and exclaiming through all the Ilvermorny corridors." Feidhelm, leaning against the door, smiled at him. Zach felt embarrassed and he felt himself reddening up as he looked at the ground. "But it is all rather extraordinary." Feidhelm winked at him as he crouched and ducked through the doorway. Zach followed him closely.

They came out onto a green hill, that went around the large town in a circle. It was sunny but there was a strong turned to see the door and his world, it stood like a tear in the picturesque scene the dark dusty office against the bright blue sky. "Oh boy." He smirked, as it dawned on him just how lucky he was to be a part of it all. "C'mon we're very late. The Last Minute Market was yesterday so I'm not sure if we'll be able to get everything." Feidhelm began walking down the hill and into the town. "Some of the shopowners may be a bit off with us but." He shrugged his shoulders and grinned.

The town had cobbled streets and tall brick buildings that slanted at bizarre angles. The town was silent. Zach could only hear the sounds of Feidhelm's boots and his trainers scuffing the street. "Bowerie Market's exclusively for students of Ilvermorny. The Polestar branch here is by far the most impressive though." He explained to Zach. The only people in the town were important men in sharp robes and heeled boots rushing towards a large circular building in the middle of the town square. The building was grey sandstone and looked like a giant vase. "Wait, how am I going to buy anything? I've only got." He reached into his pocket. "Four dollars."  
Feidhelm winked at him, "We'll sort you out don't worry." He hurried up to the steps of the building.

There was a gold plaque next to a large wooden door. "Polestar Financial Institute and Building Society." It read. Feidhelm knocked four times. A slot opened up beside Feidhelm's knees, two green eyes peered out. "Name and business." It grunted  
"Richard Feidhelm, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
"And the kid." It glared at Zachary. Feidhelm edged him on with his eyes. "Zachary Hunter, Parkside Middle School." The slot slammed shut and the door creaked open. "Richard Feidhelm and Zachary Silva." A croaky voice announced."

Zachary walked in first. "That's not my name." Zach whispered to Feidhelm who didn't seem to hear him. The room was light and airy. The ceiling was a glass dome and candles floated all around. Along the walls and going up as far as the eye could see were bookshelves. "Feidhelm, I thought we were getting money, not books."  
"Just you wait Kidda." He smiled as he approached a.. Dwarf? "They're goblins." Feidhelm whispered to Zach as he looked inquisitively around him at the fifty or so small shrewd men who worked at tall round desks in high chairs. They counted coppers and wrote in ledgers.

Feidhelm approached a Goblin with long black hair. "Toq, it's a pleasure to see you." He grinned at the Goblin, who in the chair was at Feidhelm's eye level. "I wish I could say the same, Mr Fiedhelm." Toq said dryly. "He's kidding." He smiled at Zach. "Look, we're in a hurry and we need to some of Zachary's money out." Toq pulled a lever on his desk and he lowered to Zach's height. "What's your name?"  
"Zachary Hunter." Zach said uncomfortably, the Goblin stared at him straight in the eye. He reached up and pulled the lever again. He flipped through his ledger. "You don't exist." He snarled down at Zach  
"What?" Feidhelm exclaimed confusedly. Zach felt desolate, what if he wasn't meant to be a part of this fascinating world after all. Then it hit him suddenly. "Wait, Hunter's my moms name."  
"Ahhhh of course." Feidhelm said, leaning against the desk much to the chagrin of Toq.  
"What's your fathers name?" Sighed Toq, put out at how long this conversation was looking to be.  
"I don't know. He died when I was two." Zach looked down at the ground.

Toq reached down and plucked a small handful of hairs from Zach's head. "Ow." He exclaimed looking up and rubbing the back of his head Toq let out a little chuckle as he sprinkled the hairs into a bronze pot on his desk. He swirled it around with his long fingernails and Zach could smell liquorice. He removed his finger and curled around it was a small scrap of parchment paper. He unfurled it. "You're Valentino Silva's son." He gasped. "Why, he's one of the most f-" His miserable face had lit up and he smiled as nicely as he could at Zach.  
"Okay Toq, let's leave it there hey?" Feidhelm interjected.  
"Sorry Mr. Feidhelm. Sorry Sir." He said to Zachary, who didn't know quite what to do with all this information about his father, his mom had never spoken about him before. He had a name at last: Valentino Silva. So that meant his name was "Zachary Silva?" A voice said from behind him. Zach turned around to face a tall man with brown greying hair, he had a young face but was in his forties. He shook his hand, "Thiago Perez. I was the executor of your late fathers estate. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hunter. If you'll follow me." He motioned to the stairs. Feidhelm and Zach began to follow him but he stopped. "Mr. Feidhelm you know the rules. Stay with Toq." Toq let out a loud sigh as Feidhelm began to talk his ear off.

Thiago led him to a staircase along the side of the wall. They climbed up it as Thiago droned on about the banks history. They travelled around the first floor of bookshelves to the next staircase. They did this until they were over halfway up the building. They came to a bookshelf laden with new books- no more then ten or eleven years old. Some were green, red, blue and yellow, all leather bound. They seemed to Zach to be whispering. Thiago ran his fingers along them and murmured to himself. "Sorry Thiago, but I thought this was supposed to be some kind of bank." Thiago just smirked as he heaved a large book off the shelf and handed it to Zach. Zach read the cover where "Zachary Silva" was embossed in elegant lettering. He carefully opened it. Instead of pages with words, inside the book was a large room. There were several pouches and a ton of gold and silver pennies. "I think just one pouch would be enough." Thiago laughed as he looked at Zach's astounded face.

Tentatively Zach reached in. As he did he knocked over an envelope propped against the wall. He pulled it out but the book was slammed shut against his hands making him drop it. "You don't need to see that yet." He whipped out a wand. "Remedio." He cast it at Zach's aching hand which was instantly relieved of pain. Clutching his pouch Zach began to walk along the platform towards the stairs. Thiago called after him. "Where are you going?"  
"Back downstairs." Zach turned, confused.  
"Oh okay, go to Ilvermorny without a wand." He said dryly. Zach began to hurry back. "What?!" He said gushingly.  
"Your wand." He smiled.  
"Where is it?" Zach garbled out excitedly, looking up at the bookshelf. Thiago turned and pushed the bookshelf which opened up into a dark room. As they walked in a singular yellow light began to shine from the ceiling- like the sun. There was a large oak tree, on which a face was carved. The face was old and gruff, with sharp angles and angry eyes. Zach approached it carefully. Thiago stood by the doorway. "Touch it." He said. "You're lucky to use the tree. Almost all wizards have to go to a wandmaker."

Zach reached out and touched the tree, which then began to shake and swish. There were whispers; he could hear his mom, the woman- Isolt; his grandparents, on both sides, there was a man. It must be him, he thought, it must be. There was also a woman whose voice was icy cold and sent shivers down his spine. The branches began to grow at an increasingly fast rate. They reached out to him, some stopped and others kept growing. One darker brown one reached right out to him and stopped right in front of his nose. "Take it." Isolt, his mom and his father whispered from behind him.. He clasped his hand around it and the tree began to glow brighter and brighter. He shut his eyes it was so bright. When he opened them, the tree was back to it's normal size and in his hand was a long thin wand. He turned to Thiago, his mouth wide open. "I know right." Thiago smirked. Zach left the room, still stunned, the bookshelf closing behind him.

Zach began to dread the long walk back down the stairs. "Hold my arm." Thiago said. Zach put his hands on Thiago's forearm and Thiago did the same to him. Suddenly he tipped them over the golden railing. Zach yelled out. Oh my god. He thought. He's crazy, he's going to kill me. I'm going to die. The wind swept through his t-shirt and hoodie, his eyes clenched shut though he could hear Thiago laughing wildly. It stopped. "I'm dead." He thought. "I'm dead,"  
"You're not dead." Feidhelm laughed. "Thanks Thiago."  
"No problem. I'll see you soon little man." He laughed. Zach opened his eyes. He was on the ground. He wasn't dead. He was alive and Feidhelm was grinning at him like a fool.  
"Right let's go get your wand." Zach whipped his wand out. "Woah bud, careful! Wait so you. You saw the tree." Zach nodded. "Oh my God, what was it like?"  
"It was beautiful. It was amazing. It was magic." Zach gushed. Feidhelm smiled, remembering what it was like when he first started. "Well, we still have to go to the wandmakers to get your permit and your wand verified."

The town was empty, there wasn't any queues anywhere and it meant that each shopkeeper could pay Zach special attention. At Angeliquè's they got his robes and Angeliquè took his measurements herself. At the Shrugging Carriage Book Emporium they got his spell books as well as notebooks and pens. The books shook with all the knowledge that ha yet been unlearned by it's holder. Zach was stunned to learn that at Ilvermorny they don't use parchment and quill. "I don't know it just feels right." He said to Feidhelm, even though he knew nothing about what to expect at the school. At Wolfe's Wands they got his wand verified by an elderly bearded man "Elder wood, phoenix feather core, 13 inches. You say you got this from the tree? My goodness, I haven't seen a wand from the tree in over thirty years." He said twirling the wand between his fingers before plonking a mountain of paperwork in Zach's arms. Zach filled them all out begrudgingly. It wasn't as bad as he thought though as he had Feidhelm irritating Wolfe to entertain him. At a shop foul with smells of a plethora of ingredients they got his cauldron and potion equipment. At the Owlrey, he bought the most beautiful tawny owl from a crazy old witch with a hunched back. But by far his favourite was the Broom store. There were dozens of beautiful streamlined models with mahogany wood and gold lining. Zachary however had to get the broom assigned to first years: the Weaver 98. It was good looking enough it had dark wood and a steel lining. The twigs were slightly wild but the shopowner assured him that with the right care they would grow back in place.

When they went back through the doorway Zachary stole one last look at Bowerie Market and was overcome with an intense mix of excitement and nervousness. For the first time, he felt he had a real sense of belonging, of identity. For the first time he felt close to his father.


	5. Long Night's Journey

It was three minutes to seven and Isabelle and Zach sat on their stoop waiting. "Are you sure he said seven?" Isabelle asked. "I'm sure." Zach said, clutching onto his ticket. It was sweaty and gross in his hands. Out on the street was his large trunk with his robes, books and his wand. On top of it was Artemis, his owl, in his cage. Feidhelm and warned him to be careful with it but Zach couldn't resist pulling it out and waving it around the apartment at night whilst Isabelle slept. At night when he couldn't sleep, he would heave the trunk open and feel the soft warmth of his robes and he would pore over the books, feet and hands tingling with the excitement and anticipation of an adventure. He was shaking with nerves now, what if he was totally hopeless? What if it turned out he couldn't do anything at all? If he was a, what had Feidhelm called them? A No-Maj or a Squib. "Hey." Isabelle put his arm around him. "Don't worry about it."  
"I'm not." Zach said coolly, but he couldn't stop the jigging of his leg up and down. He looked up and down the street. "I love you." He said.  
"What?" She smiled.  
"You heard me." He smiled up at her.  
"I love you too." She laughed. "I'm so proud of you. I know I was worried, I still am. If your father was here, he'd be so proud of you too."He was about to reply when there was a loud honking sound.

Zach stood up as Isabelle turned. She saw a dark purple double decker bus. She scoffed. "All of their New York students are on that?" The bus pulled up beside the apartment, Isabelle looked inside the windows; it was a normal bus, a few dozen young people from ten to eighteen in hoodies and sweatshirts sat on benches. She was slightly underwhelmed, "I thought these wizards were full of surprises hey?" She asked Zach. Zach was dragging his trunk to the buses side. "So." Isabelle said.  
"So." Zach said. She suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug. "I love you so much. I'm going to miss you like mad."  
"I love you too. You're going to have to write to me."  
"I don't have to buy an owl do I?" She beamed, smiling at him goofily.  
"Bye mom." He said, stepping up onto the bus.  
"Bye." She began to cry as he turned and walked through the doors that opened.

Huge. The inside was huge. The walls were tall and the bus was long. The sides were lined with bunk beds, four high. and along the middle were tables and chairs. Zach noticed a sign. "First to Fourth Grade- Ground Floor, Fifth to Eighth Grade- First Floor." The first floor was packed with teenagers in their own clothes, they sat on beds chatting away or playing cards at the tables. Others, mostly first years, just sat playing with their animals nervously. The bus driver was a portly man in a blue chauffeurs uniform. "Zachary Hunter, welcome welcome!" He beamed up at him. "You're in, let me see." He reached for the ticket. "Row G Bunk 4." Zach knew this, he had read the ticket over and over again, nevertheless he thanked the bus driver and trundled down the coach as the bus sped off. The students cheered as the bus jolted forward.

Zach came to row G and looked for a place to put his trunk. "It goes under the bottom bunk." A voice said from above him. He looked up to see a boy slightly older then him. He had jet black hair that he had styled with a quiff. He wore a grey sweatshirt with black jeans. He swung up and dangled his black Doc Martens over the bunk below. He was handsome, with strong cheekbones and grey eyes. He had a cheeky smile across his face, like he knew a little bit of playful soft gossip about you that he wouldn't share with anyone. "Thanks." Zachary said.  
"No problem. Which bunk are you in?" The boy replied.  
"Four." Zachary said eager to make a friend.  
"That's just above me!" The boy exclaimed. Zach climbed up the ladder and the boy invited him to sit with him. "Look I'll hook your owl up there." He reached up and put Artemis' cage on a hook on the ceiling. "Noah, Noah White." He said putting out his hand. "Zach Hunter." Zach shook it firmly.  
"It's very nice to meet you Zach Hunter from Williamsburg."  
"Where does the bus go now?" Zach asked taking in his surroundings. "New York City's the last stop, we've been to Staten Island and the Bronx, we've still got half of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. Then we go straight to Mount Greylock. I live in Albany, that's where the bus departs so I've been on here all day. It's not so bad, there's a snack cart and I've got Apollo to keep me company."  
"Apollo?' Zach asked, amused at Noah's chatty nature. Noah turned and picked up a small Husky puppy from his bed. He came halfway up Zach's shin. "He's so small."  
"He's a mitedog." Noah explained. "He's small now but by the time I leave he'll be normal sized. That's why they take mitedogs, they grow at incredibly slow speeds. Dad got him for me for my first year gift. Orion got a Lightwave!" They spoke for a while about their animals, and what they were most excited for at Ilvermorny. Noah had three older siblings, "Orion's the eldest, he's in his seventh grade and the twins, Zelda and Aurora, are in their fifth."

When they came into Manhattan, the pair were at the snack cart, Noah bought mice pops and a bottle of ginger beer, and Zach bought a chocolate frog and pumpkin juice. They sat at a table and Zach ripped open the chocolate frog. It leapt out of the package and on to the table. Noah laughed as Zach leapt up to catch it, he bit its head off quickly. "What's the card?"  
"The card?"  
"Yeah in the box." Noah pointed at it and Zach picked it up and pulled a pentagon shaped card. On the front was a moving image of a man. He had messy black hair and wore dark navy robes. His arms were crossed and on his forehead was a scar. "You got Harry Potter!" Noah exclaimed loudly, others turned to face him. He mouthed sorry. "You got Harry Potter!" He exclaimed quietly.  
"Who's Harry Potter?" Zach asked.  
"Who's Harry Potter? Who's Harry Potter?" Zach glared at him. "Sorry I forgot you were raised by No-Majs. Harry Potter killed Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts, the British school." Before Zach could open his mouth, he continued. "Lord Voldemort was an evil mass murder- the most evil wizard for hundreds of years. He killed thousands. But he died at the-"  
"Battle of Hogwarts." Zach interjected as he read the cards backside which gave a short biography on Mr. Potter.

For the next two hours, as they drove through Manhattan, they pointed out places they had been. "That's the hotel we stayed in when I first met the MACUSA President six years ago, that's like the regular president but magic."  
"That's the police station where I was detained after I sold that fake phone to men on Wall Street."  
"That's the theatre where we saw Wicked. These No-Majs have the most amazing flair for creativity, I swear."  
"That's the pitch where I won my first soccer tournament."  
"Soccor's the sports thing right? Umm what's the point?" Noah asked, uncharacteristically shy. Zach smiled at finally having some sort of upper hand.

When the lights had been put out and they lay in bed, Noah was still asking Zach questions about soccer. "I'm sorry are you trying to sleep?"  
"No, I wouldn't be able to even if I tried." He whispered.  
"I don't even know why I care, I hate sports, my brothers captain of the Wampus Quidditch team so I have to go and watch all of his matches." Wampus, Zach thought, for warriors. "Do I belong there? I definitely don't fit into Horned Serpent or Pukwidgie. Thunderbirds for adventurers, and I've never been on any sort of adventure. So maybe Wampus is for me?" A light was coming from below Noah, in the second bunk.  
"Can you ask her to turn it off?" Zach asked Noah.  
"I can try." Noah turned over. "Excuse me." He said. The girl looked up, she held a torch and was sat reading a book. She was pretty with dark freckles and black frizzy hair. She didn't notice him. "Excuse me." He said a little louder. She suddenly shone the light at his face, blinding him. "Oh my God!" He yelled as he fell to the floor. Apollo screeched. "Oh I'm sorry" She said in a sweet voice as she rushed down and helped him up. Zach hurried down behind her. She sat Noah down in a chair. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, thanks." He said. Zach gently started laughing and it grew louder and louder. The girl joined in and slowly so did Noah. Zach ran up to his bed and pulled out some pumpkin juice from under his pillow.

The three sat down at the table together. "Here." He passed the flask to Noah. "I'm so sorry, again." The girl whispered. "It's okay, really. I'm Noah." He drank from the flask. "Ava." She raised her hand a little bit. They turned to Zach. "Oh I'm Zach." She smiled up at him, her smile was broad and kind. "What were you doing with that light, apart from blinding Noah?"  
"I was reading. "The Little Book of Metamorphosis. It's not as small as the title implies, I've been trying to finish it this Summer but no luck. Have you read any of your books?" The two boys both murmured no, feeling ashamed as though they should have done. They liked Ava, she was funny and gentle, the way she whispered would have sent the pair to sleep if they hadn't found everything she said so interesting. She was a No-Maj from a family of No-Majs. She had a baby brother and she wished that he would grow up to be a wizard. They spoke until the clocks struck four.

The bus driver had come up to them, "We'll be arriving shortly, why don't you three get changed into your robes before everyone else wakes up and the mayhem begins?" They got changed in the large bathrooms at the back of the coach. There were four other students who had taken the initiative to wake earlier and get changed before the others. "I bet you they're all Horned Serpents." Noah had whispered to Zach, who had smiled. Their robes were a delightful dark blue with cranberry red trimming. Zach's was slightly too large, Angelique had warned him that he'd outgrow it quickly otherwise and he wouldn't want to waste money on things he didn't need to. Noah's on the other hand was tailored perfectly and made him look like some sort of poster boy for Ilvermorny. The upper school, Noah had told Zach, didn't have to wear robes. They wore blazers, pants, ties, shirts, jumpers and skirts. The lower school envied the upper school for this.

They came out of the bathroom to see Ava, sat at a table with a tea and a croissant. She had bought breakfast for the other two who sat with her. She didn't talk to them though, she was reading her book. Slowly but surely the bus started to come back to life. Students rose up and the chatter and hubbub kickstarted again. They were glad that they had taken the bus drivers advice. They came to a river by the mountain. The bus driver flicked a switch and told everyone to return to their bunks. He suddenly veered off the road and trundled along the river bank and finally burst into the water. The first years gasped as the bus rode seamlessly along the river floor. Fish glided by and weeds and plants surrounded them. Slowly, Zach felt himself start to go uphill and the windows become black and he realised that they were in a cave.

They travelled through the cavernous tunnel and torches began to appear along the side. There were carvings of wizards and witches on the wall, of bizarre creatures, of the school. Zach recognised Isolt Sayre who stood holding a wand aloft among children who looked up at her admiringly. She smiled at them like they were her own children. Slowly the cavern opened up into a large cove in the cave. The bus rode along a pathway around the edges. They saw a large round light blue pool. Waves lapping up onto the path. They could hear a high pitch singing, it was warm and kind. Looking into the water, one could see white figures dancing and twirling below the surface. Noah and Ava had come up and lay beside him watching the cave go by.

They turned a corner and Zach could see all the other buses behind them as they went around the bend. Students faces were pressed up against the window, much like he imagined his bus drove along this larger tunnel for fifteen minutes before coming out into the morning sun. It was nine o'clock, when they caught their first sight of the school. Enclosed by mountains and surrounded by dense forest and then moated by a lake, it stood proud and tall, made of grey sandstone. The coach began its long winding trip down from the cave and into the forest. They passed the lake and ponds, deer and rabbits, in the distance where the forest grew sheltered and roofed, mysterious dark figures and shadows moved. Occasionally they passed small stone cottages.

Eventually they reached the lakeside and the buses slowed to a stop. "Leave your trunks here, they will be bought up to the castle separately!" The head boy, a tall thin boy in round glasses, yelled above the clamour of students. Gradually they poured out of the buses and onto the cobblestone square, "The one from the dream." Zach whispered. Zach, Ava and Noah all clung to each other as they were led to a string of docks by recruitment officers. Zach craned his neck looking for Feidhelm but he couldn't seem him over the hundreds of students.

The three were crammed into a boat with nine other students and were headed by Cressida Vaughn, a prefect. She had a bossy snooty voice that rung out as she introduced the twelve to Ilvermorny and took a register. One of the boys across from Zach was staring at him. He had dark brown straight short hair and green eyes with gold flecks that pierced Zach's. "What do you want?" He asked the boy accusingly. But the boy just scoffed and laughed with the girl next to him. "That's Daxton Pravus, his father's chairman of the MACUSA regulatory board. He's a nasty horrible stuck up piece of work." Noah whispered.  
"How do you know all of this?" Zach asked him.  
"His dad's the NEMACUSA President." Ava interjected, smiling. "I thought I heard your name before, he was on the front page of The Morning Star this morning."  
Noah squirmed, "Dad works really closely with Daxton's dad, he controls what dad can and can't do. It's quite messy really. I didn't want you to think that I was one of those snobby slimy elitists. I'm not! I swear."  
"Yeah Noah, we know you're not." Zach assured him pinching his shoulder. Now that Noah had said it, Daxton did look slimy, Zach thought, and snobby and elitist. He had spread himself over the bench, pushing that blonde girl into the corner. She had pushed back though and it had been quite funny when he fell onto the floor only to be yelled at by Cressida in her pinching nasally tones. On their approach to the castle which stood atop a vast hill, the hillside slowly began to raise, revealing yet another cave. This one was less brightly lit and the water was still and dark. Carefully the hillside closed behind them as they approached a rocky bank. Zach looked around, there were only first years down here. He raised his hand and Cressida nodded at him. "Where are all the others?" He asked.  
"If you had been listening, Master Hunter you would know that the other lower years walk, using their skills in the water elemental to keep themselves dry and aerobic. The upper school fly in." She replied in her dull, drab tones.

Tentatively the twelve stepped off the boat and on to the slippery rocks. The three held on to each other to prevent any embarrassment. A brown haired beaded man in his late fifties stood at the the top of a staircase carved into the rocks, in front of a large oak door. He wore purple robes with elaborate blue trimming and a round boxlike hat. The first years congregated at the base. "Boys and girls, boys and girls." He yelled, instantly commanding attention. "I am Deputy Headmaster Professor Teddning. You are about to be sorted into your houses. I'll lead you up these staircases and into the entrance hall. One at a time I will call your names and you will stand on a platform in the centre of the room, when a house chooses you, well when a house chooses you you'll know about it. Those of you who don't yet have wands will then have them presented to you" He turned and with a flick of his wand opened.

He led the first years up a series of winding staircases. The walls were bare apart from torches and seemed to be made of a type of sandstone. There was a loud unanimous shuffling of feet as the first years plodded up the stairs. They finally came to another set of doors, this one bigger then the last. Professor Teddning stopped and took a deep breath. He pulled his robes up and pushed open the doors.

The chatter and buzz in the Sortinghall stopped as soon as he did. The first years flocked into the round room and stood around the perimeter. Zach looked up at the glass dome ceiling and realised that this was the room from the dream, just without the threatening fire and terrifying voices. There was a wooden level around the perimeter, three quarters of the way up. The rest of the school stood on it, leaving spaces only for the crest of each house to be seen. They watched apprehensively as Professor Teddning marched in front of the incredible entrance door. The glass dome over the sorting chamber began to blacken to block out the morning sun. He lowered his hands and the flames in the torches slowly toned down to a soft orange glow, casting strange shadows all around the room. Zach could see no other teachers, not even enrolment officers. He wondered which door they would be waiting behind. Ava began to shake and Zach took her hand and smiled at her, she smiled back- calming instantly, Noah took her other hand and together the friends breathed gently and deeply anticipating adventure as the first name was called.


	6. Spectacle in the Sky

First was the blonde girl with the dark tan skin. "Makayla Pondelik." She edged through the crowd. Her big brown eyes gazing through her boyish mop. She smirked at an older boy stood on the balcony who smiled playfully at her. She stepped up onto the platform in the middle. "It's a Gordian Knot." Ava whispered. "It's all Isolt Sayre brought over from Ireland."  
"How do you know all this?" Noah asked.  
"I did my research." Ava shrugged. Makayla looked around the room confidently. There was a soft rumbling sound then silence. A moment later the Wampus roared and the other Wampus students cheered loudly as Makayla scurried up the stairs and onto the platform. Other Wampus students patted her on the back, the older boy got her in a headlock and ruffled her hair. She pushed him away and leaned confidently over the balcony.. 'Wahey." Noah smiled. The excitement at finding out which house one would be placed finally wore off an hour and a half in. The boredom started with the older students who began enchanting paper birds and sending them into the crowd of first graders who giggled and cheered until it was shot by the carving of the Pukwudgie. Others started small harmless fires that they would aim at the unsuspecting already terrified first graders as they were sorted. Ava was the first out of the three to be picked. "Good luck." Zach squeezed her hand. She carefully stood up onto the knot. She caught Noah and Zach's eye and they raised their thumbs up cheesy and laughing. She let out a quick smile before the butterflies suddenly overwhelmed her. She started fidgeting with her hands. Suddenly and without the normal rumble the Thunderbird flapped it's wings, the Horned Serpent hissed and the Pukwudgie shot his arrow. Ava smiled broadly as all of the other students cheered. "Well, well well." Teddning smiled, peering at her over his glasses, he smiled at her, reassuring her. "There is no wrong choice." The smile seemed to say. "Go with your instinct." Ava took a moment and looked around and the rest of the school who all chanted the names of their houses. She took a deep breath. "Thunderbird." She said confidently. The bird cawed and the house went wild. From the balcony she looked down at Zach and jumped with glee. Daxton Pravus went to Thunderbird, much to the chagrin of Ava who rolled her eyes at Noah who pulled a face. There were about twenty students left when Noah was called. Confidently he strode to the knot. Zach saw him look up at his older siblings. Orion was tall and handsome with jet black styled hair and light blue eyes, Aurora and Zelda shared the boys dark hair, blue eyes and good looks. They were not identical twins, Aurora's face was softer whereas Zelda's was sharper and more angled. For Noah there was a choice between Horned Serpent and Wampus. Without missing a beat he declared Wampus his house, he did however interrupt Teddning beginning to make an announcement about how extraordinary it was that two students be chosen by multiple houses in one year. Teddning had glared at him coldly, making Noah run faster to his brother and sisters.

Zach was the final student to be sorted. He felt embarrassed as he stood up on the knot, fully aware that the entire school was watching him. He heard whispers. "-Silva."  
"Valentino Silva's son."  
"Nobody's allowed to tell hi-"  
"-so terrible." Zach shook off the voices. He had just come to terms with the fact that his father was a wizard, although he had many questions, the fact that he was an apparently famous wizard was too much. The whispering was drowned out by cheers however when the Thunderbird flapped it's wings and cawed. With that he scurried up to Ava, fellow Thunderbirds patted his back and ruffled his hair. Professor Teddning then opened the bigger oak doors and led the entire school into the great hall.

Prefects ushered the houses to long oak tables with individual chairs. There were four tables, one for each house. "Don't worry." One said to Ava and Zach. "It's just for the first and last feast, the rest of the time you can sit with your friends." Zach looked around as he sat down next to Ava. He looked around at the tall thin windows that let the light pour in, the floating candles and the great chandeliers that hung over each table. At the back of the hall was a platform with a long table with about forty seats and forty staff members on them. "They're the teachers, that in the middle is Madam Regents." A friendly third grader said when they caught him looking at her. She was in her late sixties, with brown hair that greyed at the tips and was cut just above the shoulder. She wore green robes and a green hat that curved over at the point. She had stern eyes but a soft face. She was thin and her fingers were long and pale. She slowly stood up and gently walked around to a silver lectern in the shape of a dragon. She spoke clearly and loudly. "Welcome students, friends, old and new to a new year at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We all look forward to a year of excitement, wonder and hard work. Once again I warn you to stay away from the forests, waters and mountains without a responsible adult present. To Mister and Misses Jamie Neil and Sam Walker I warn you that an animated life sized action figure does not constitute a responsible adult." There was an amiable laugh. "I think that about covers it. I hope you have all had a glorious Summer and may we now welcome our new first graders with a feast full of laughter and joy." She clapped her hands together and a plates of food began to appear at the tables. There were big sandwiches, chickens, roast lamb, pork and lots of fruit. It was the best lunchtime spread Zach had ever seen. He began to eat immediately and was shocked by how delicious everything was.

"Look." Ava nudged him as he had began to eat and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a map of the world that moved! Zach was amazed by the illustrations of the boats moving across the sea and the movement of magical creatures. There were illustrations of the various magic schools such as Hogwarts and Castelobruxo. "Wow." Zach whispered. Ava and he marvelled at the buzz of excitement amongst the students and laughed at the silly little tricks the older kids performed. Once everyone had helped themselves to a splendid dessert (and in Zach's case seconds and thirds), a portion of the first graders, including Ava, were called out of the room by Professor Teddning to go out and get their wands. "Good luck!" Zach hugged her. After they had left the entire school were free to sit where they wanted and mix. Zach headed straight for Noah who was talking animatedly. "Hey." Zach interrupted. Noah turned around to face him. "ZACH!" He yelled as he moved up to give him space to sit down. "How was it? Isn't the food amazing? What's Thunderbird like? This is Makayla." He gestured to the girl opposite him. Her eyes glistened and she smiled shyly at Zach. "Hi Makayla." Zach waved awkwardly. "Hi Zach?" She had a playful sweet tone to her voice. He smiled when he looked at her, her face was kind but droll. They started talking about the feast and their houses. Makayla's playfulness bounced off of Noah's fervour and excitement and they progressively got more and more energetic and spirited.

"Excuse me." A sour voice said from behind them. Zach turned to Daxton. "What do you want Pravus?" Noah spat out. Daxton ignored him and just looked at Zach. "Can I sit?" Without waiting for an answer he pushed Noah up the bench and clambered in his place. "So you are Valentino Silva's son?"  
"I guess, I don't really know much about him." Zach said warily.  
"What? No way." Dayton retorted, way to surprisingly for it to be genuine. "I am shocked. You don't know that your father ki-"  
"Nobody's allowed to tell him Prick, sorry! Pravus." Noah interjected. "I know that Noah, my dad told your dad that the idea was rubbish, he'll find out eventually. Stuff the rules, right?" He looked at Zach with disdain in his eyes. "We're Thunderbirds, we go looking for danger. I was just saying that since your dad was a great infamous wizard and my dad's a great infamous wizard-" There was a snigger from Noah, it was ignored. "That we should be friends, think of what we could do."  
"No thank you Daxton. I'd rather have a boring time with nice people then go on an adventure with some snobby rude boy." Daxton huffed and stood up quickly. "Careful there." Noah smirked at him. "I'll tell my father to tell yours the same thing. I'm sure the Whites don't want ANOTHER scandal." He raised an eyebrow. Zach stood up and clenched his fists by his side, "Shut up Daxton. Just go away." He said through gritted teeth.  
"BACK OFF DAXTON." Makayla had stood up.  
"What are you going to do? Hit me? Sit down redskin." Daxton retorted. Makayla stood stunned, her eyes didn't tear up but hardened. Zach raised his fist but a voice interrupted him. "Funny that Daxy, because the scandal with your father and that missing money from the Regulatory Board Treasury affected the Pravus' quite a bit didn't it?" He was athletic and clearly strong, he towered over the boy. "If I remember rightly your dad got the least votes of all the board members last year and you had to downsize. What is it? You've only got three house elves now."  
"It beats zero." Daxton sniffed.  
"It doesn't beat ethics and morals though, does it? I think it would probably be best if you returned to the Thunderbird table now, don't you?" Daxton looked at Zach, Noah and then Orion before storming off away. Makayla blurted out laughing. "Thanks Ri." Noah sat back next to Zach.  
"No problem little brother, bullying you is my job." Orion laughed as he ruffled his hair and walked away. "Oh my God." Makayla laughed. "  
Are you okay?" Zach asked.  
"I"m fine, what a jerk." Makayla bit into a chicken leg aggressively and Zach was just a little bit scared of her.

As the three of them were bustled out of the Great Hall with the other first graders Ava snuck up from behind them. "Hi!" She exclaimed excitedly hugging Noah and waving her wand. "Beech, dragon heart string." She said smugly as she whipped out a piece of parchment from her satchel. "Ooh orienteering, follow me!" She cried. She buried her face in her map and led them out of the great hall and to one of the nine interhouse common rooms. She led them up winding staircases and across long corridors. "There's nine interhouse common rooms, eight for the eight grades and one for everyone how interesting." She said not looking up from her map.  
"Ava." Noah said trying to get her attention.  
"There's house ghosts. Ghosts, Zach! Can you believe it?" She said not looking up from her map and thusly completely missing the two chattering ghosts in revolutionary war uniforms that passed them. Zach turned around to watch them turn the corner with his mouth wide open. On more than one occasion they had to pull Ava back to stop her walking out of windows and tumbling down staircases. "Ava. Ava." Noah said, louder and louder, trying to introduce Makayla. "This is-"  
"Abraham Lincoln's children came here!" She gasped and Noah subsequently gave up. They approached a long line of first graders and Ava finally put the map away. "Oh hello." She beamed at Makayla. "I'm Ava who are you?" Zach just laughed as Noah banged his head against the wall. The line moved forward slowly but the four didn't mind. Noah had bought exploding snap that Ava carefully enchanted to rest in the air as if on an invisible table. "What, I've done some research." She explained when Noah just glared at her gobsmacked. Makayla entertained them by showing them how she could change her eye and hair colour. "You're a metamorphmagus!" Noah shouted.  
"Shh!" Makayla whispered nodding towards the prefect who had raised an eyebrow. "My dad doesn't want me to tell anyone, he's funny about stuff like that."  
"Sorry." Noah whispered.  
"What's a metamorphmagus?" Zach smiled dumbly.  
"Just watch." Noah put his arm around Zach as Makayla grew her hair and dyed it blue.  
"Does that explain it?" Makayla beamed.

They were the last ones in and the prefect blankly asked for their names and blood status. The door slammed shut behind them and they nervously sat down on one of the large armoires that filled the room. There were some dark wooden tables and chairs, some chess tables and a huge ornate fireplace. The stone floor was largely covered by numerous colourful exotic rugs and one wall was completely lined with bookshelves. There was a fervent chatter from the first graders who sat expectantly on the sofas, two prefects leant beside the door, bored and examining their fingernails but one stood upright with her hands behind her back next to the fireplace, in which was a white fire that sent out a smell of cinnamon. Zach recognised her as Cressida, the prefect from the boat, he could tell from her snooty stuck up face that was firmly pointed in the air. Above the fireplace was a painting of "Chadwick Boot!" Ava nudged Zach when she caught him looking up at it. "The adopted son of Isolt Sayre." Chadwick was tall and thin with a kind face and tousled brown hair, he held his wand aloft and was casting a dark blue spell against the backdrop of a light forest. The portrait, moved? Zach rubbed his eyes. No it didn't, yes it did. And it was talking! Talking to some first graders sat closest to the fire. Zach turned to Ava who had just noticed and was staring with her mouth agape. Slowly but surely the frame started to open and out hopped a small witch wearing a deep purple cloak, she wore one long witches hat that had drooped severely and the tip rested on her shoulder. She had blonde greying curly hair and peering eyes that spied through small silver glasses. She tapped her wand against the fire and it roared then quietened down, thusly silencing the crowd and gathering their attention. "Hello!" She squeaked, she giddily shook the hands of the two students nearest to her. "Hello, hello, lovely to meet you!" She came right up into their faces, she had a faint German accent. She turned to the rest of them and opened her arms. "Welcome, welcome first graders. I am Professor Schussel, Head of First Grade and a Potions teacher. Now you are here to receive your schedules and-" She stopped, she had locked eyes with Zach and she was instantly lost. "And, and um, sorry Mr. Hunter." She looked away and continued. "That was weird." Ava whispered. Professor Schussel went on with a basic history of the school, it's loose geographical location and some school rules, that were all pretty obvious, Zach thought, aside from that one about refusing help from the wood elves. She stood by the door and handed out schedules and guides, guides that actually spoke and gave out facts and information about what part of the castle you were in. The houses were split up and Thunderbird went first, when Schussel gave Zach his guide she rested her hands on his and told him that his father was always in her thoughts. Being aware that nobody was going to tell him anything he shrugged it off as Cressida, who he was devastated to learn was a Thunderbird prefect, began their tour.

They were shown the different classrooms of the classes they would be taking; the astronomy tower, the Magical Law, Ethics and Control classrooms that all came out of the huge library, the potions classrooms that had a particularly pungent smell and the greenhouses that surrounded a vast atrium with ginormous green and purple flora and a flock of colourful birds that swirled and swooped around, diving and twirling through the trees and shrubs. The smaller ones were drawn to Zach and rested on his shoulder and head, playfully pecking at his ears and nose. Daxton noticed this and smirking to his friends, waved and whistled at the birds who promptly flew down onto his shoulders with such force and strength that he fell back and Cressida had to cast a protecting charm against him as they bit and scratched at him. Ava and Zach found it very difficult to suppress their laughter. There were rooms that came off the Atrium with large black shadows, some moving quickly some moving gently. "Magizooology!" Ava squealed. The Fire classrooms were in the dungeons and they all took note of the black scorch marks on the walls and all over the floor. The room was empty aside from a long table on which were dozens of pails of water. "Jesus Christ." Zach whispered under his breath. The earth classrooms were by the greenhouses, the air on a large field across the water and the water classrooms, well the water classrooms they weren't shown because "They take place underwater." Cressida beamed.  
"They what!?" Zach and Ava said, mouths opened wide.  
"You heard me." She snapped. When her back had turned, Zach and Ava raised their eyebrows and pulled a face at each other. Dayton suddenly raised his hand, "Ooh! Ooh! Cressida they were mocking you."  
"I sincerely hope not." Cressida said dramatically, her left eyebrow raised and her lip pursed. She had given them a detention for tomorrow and Zach flicked Daxton on the sly.

Finally they were taken to the Thunderbird common room. It was entire tower on the furthest edge of the castle, there was a painting of a cow, that when presented with the password would moo and open into a small passageway. The room was round and huge, the ground floor of the entire tower. There were sofas, chess tables, desks, a small bookshelf and, a vending machine? Zach looked around and saw that the beds were built into the walls, at the foot of each was their trunk that fit into a cubby between the wooden sideboard and the stonewall. Under each bed was a set of drawers. Between each bed was a ladder and the other years had already settled in and were sat on the beds, and climbing up the ladders. The first graders were on the lowest level and the eighth graders at the top. "Yeah, but how are we supposed to sleep?" Daxton moaned. Cressida ignored him and tapped her wand once against the wood. Suddenly at each bed names appeared in gold lettering, she tapped it again and the first graders suddenly spun and collapsed onto their beds. Zach was on the second level and below him was Ava! Dayton was across the room looking especially dazed. To shut out the sound and light they had to pull across a curtain on the bedside that would plunge them into darkness and the sound outside could be muffled or blocked out completely. "Wow." Zach said, meaning it especially now. Zach and Ava spent a few hours in the common room, playing exploding snap and being entertained by Harley Kerman, a theatre enthusiast in the seventh grade who was organising Thunderbirds musical this year. She was singing songs and every so often would tap her throat and her voice would change, she went from her own beautiful strong voice to a croaky old man to singing entirely in Russian and clapping loudly, encouraging the others to join in. "You guys should audition!" She beamed at Ava and Zach.  
"Oh I don't act." Zach smiled waving his hand.  
"Yeah and I can't sing." Ava shrugged shyly.  
"Oh." Harley said disappointedly. Then she lit up, "So you can act!? Brilliant you can be in the play." She ignored Ava's protests and sauntered off confidently. "No!" Ava laughed to Zach.  
"Good luck." He smiled.

The great hall was raucous at dinner as anyone could sit where they wanted. After a speech from Madam Regents, Jamie Neill and Sam Walker set off a firework that when burst turned into hundreds of bats. Hurriedly the teachers opened the windows and the bats fled out. Makayla drew out her wand and sneakily stunned one down, wrapped it in napkins and put in her pocket. She looked up to see them all staring at her. "What? He was cute. God you're all so judgy." She smirked as she continued eating. Once they had all eaten they were ushered out of the castle and onto the ground. "What's happening?" Ava whispered to Noah.  
"My god, I thought Orion was joking with me." He replied as the teachers and the eighth graders went down to the water. Everyone huddled together against the cold and Ava could see her breath in the air. Sam and Jamie were somehow blowing rings and shapes with theirs. Those at the water pointed their wands at the water and slowly raised. The dark waters slowly started to shake and moved greater and faster, there was a loud rumbling sound as white points started to come out of the water and grow and grow and grow into mountains. Mountains that completely surround them and reached up into the sky so high that they could have knocked the stars out of place, concealing the school from anyone who may have strayed too near. They looked around at the dark black trees as singing started to waft towards them. It was angelic and soft, loving and calling to them. Then suddenly out of all of the thick trees flew thousands and thousands of fireworks that dazzled and amazed. A rainbow spectacle of colours and of different shapes. There seemed to be a scene in some of them, there was Isolt Sayre and Chadwick boot and William the Pukwudgie. Lanterns started to come down from the trees and tables grew out of the ground, on which were snacks and drinks in wooden bowls and goblets. For hours they spoke, drank and ate. Makayla, Zach, Ava and Noah sat on a picnic blanket, watching the show and eating as much as they possibly could. At one point a bunch of eight graders snuck out some broomsticks and flew around the mountains and trees, their broomsticks enchanted to let out a stream of multi coloured smoke, until they were charmed down by a strict looking bald teacher with a sharp angled angry face. There was a loud moan as he put a stop to the music and put out the lanterns with a flick of his wand and shouted in a booming harsh voice. "Bed now, all of you." In the common room the upper years had continued the party but Zach and Ava exhausted were laying in bed. "It's just unbelievable." Ava gushed.  
"I know." Zach said, "We are a part of a hidden society that nobody knows about. I mean it's fantastical! That sounds really cheesy, I know."  
"No it doesn't. I get it, it's incredible, it's just amazing."  
"I've never been excited to go to school and learn before." Zach smirked.  
"Oh I have." Ava giggled and then burst out laughing.  
"Careful, last time Noah did that he fell out of bed!" Zach replied, they laughed even more until their stomachs hurt. Slowly it died down. "Goodnight Zach." She whispered from below him.  
"Night Ava." He whispered back before drawing his curtains and being plunged into the darkness. He put his head on the pillow and immediately fell straight to sleep.


	7. Still a School, Just for Magic

Zach had woken up early, before any of the others. He found a hoodie in his trunk that he put on over his PJs and pulling back the curtain he swung off his bed and landed with a soft thud on the floor. The morning sun was beginning to creep in through the few windows and the fire had started to crackle into life. Zach reached into his bunk and pulled out 'Chadwick's Charms: Vol I' and 'The Dark Forces: An Introductory Guide to Self-Defence', before sitting in the armchair with the tall back and starting to read. He pulled out his wand and set it at a tea cup on the side table. "Wingardium Leviosa." He whispered, waving his wand then flicking it. Nothing happened, according to the book it was supposed to lift up. "Wingardium Leviosa." He tried again. "Wingardium Leviosa. Wingardium Leviosa!" His voice had gotten louder in frustration and he stopped when he heard a groan from a fifth grader. He tapped the tea cup angrily. Bored, he decided to flip through the Defence Against the Dark Arts book. He flicked through and came to a page on charms. He pointed his wand at the tea cup again, flicked it and whispered "Expulso." The tea cup and saucer exploded and shattered all over the table. Zach slammed the book shut and looked on in shock. "Well it worked." He whispered under his breath as he peered worryingly at the scorch mark on the table. There were a handful of moans and groans from almost everybody as they were rudely woken up. Before anyone could see him Zach bundled together his books and bounded over to his bunk, pulled across his curtains and waited for a few minutes until he could hear the sound of soft chattering. He then drew back his curtains and sat with Ava who was checking over her timetable and muttering herself. He tried his best to look inconspicuous as he couldn't help but overhear the confused murmurings of a group of students who had gathered around the side table and were looking at each other perplexed. "What's first?" He asked Ava, she ignored him. "Ava? What's next?" She didn't respond and just kept scanning through her timetable. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "Oh good morning Zach." She smiled and folded up her papers. "Did you hear that bang? It woke me right up."  
"Oh yeah." Zach nodded. "Me too. What's first?" He said, desperately trying to change the subject. "Metamorphosis with the Horned Serpents, Charms with the Pukwudgies, lunch, double Magical Ethics and Control with the Wampus' and then History of Magic with the Wampus'."

At breakfast they found Makayla and Noah, unfortunately they were joined by Daxton who spent his breakfast rolling his eyes and scoffing to his friends Samuel Sawyer and Elsie Campbell, whenever any of them spoke. He was so insufferable that on the way out Makayla, in frustration, stood up with such force and strength that she knocked the bench back, causing Daxton and Elsie to fall backwards. Zach gave her a low-key high five as they parted ways in the entrance hall. In Metamorphosis they were simply taught the Transfiguration Alphabet before being coupled with a Horned Serpent, (Zach with Atticus Witringham and Ava with Harriet Robinson), and trying to change the colour of their partners hair. Ava turned Harriet's eyebrows from blonde to dark brown but Zach's wand just let out a series of golden sparks and waved around crazily whenever he tried to do anything with it. Professor Regalbrooke simply tutted, "Someone's going to have their work cut out for them in control." She peered down at Zach as she was exceptionally tall and incredibly skinny with long thin arms that led to long thin hands which led to long thin fingers which clasped her wand elegantly. Daxton laughed at him, Zachary noted that his partners hair had not changed either but Daxton insisted that it was at least one shade lighter. He pathetically maintained this as they filed out of the room. "Wow, he's very whiny." Atticus noted.  
"That's not the worst thing about him." Ava sighed as she dragged Zach across the courtyard to the Charms block.

Their Charms teacher was interesting, as they entered he was sat cross legged on his desk playing with a mouse and he didn't pay any of them attention for a good twenty minutes ("It's almost like he doesn't want us to pass!" Ava had exclaimed on their way out). He had shoulder length brown hair and his robes were so long that at various points he had stumbled as he wandered around the classroom. Pulling out his wand took some time too, he had to fumble to pulls his sleeves over his hands and then he rooted through his pockets to find his wand. Onto their table he piled the mouse, a bunch of bananas and a long chain necklace. Zach reached out and touched it, when he did it recoiled and slunk off the table and back into its pocket like a snake. Vikrei didn't seem to notice and kept on with his dramatic, exaggerated reading of Chadwick's Charms. During the last ten minutes they were tasked with levitating the origami swans they had spent the other forty five minutes making. Zach tried and tried but his swan just shook from side to side. Ava's lifted about one inch of the ground and gliding elegantly behind wherever she led her wand. At the end of the lesson Vikrei had flicked his wand and, as one, the swans had suddenly become animated and formed one large swan. It flew around the room, pecking and snatching at the students hair, before it headed to the ceiling, just as its beak touched the top, it nosedived and before it landed on the students it burst into hundred and hundreds of scraps and trestles of multi-coloured paper. As they left the room, Ava still removing paper from her hair and bemoaning how they were never going to ever learn anything, they ran into Noah and Makayla. "Oh we've been looking for you." Makayla said smiling shyly at Zach, who smiled back nervously.  
"Come on, let's go eat lunch on the Quad and then, we're going to skive." Noah whispered, grinning slyly. Ava looked shocked.  
"On the first day!?" She said aghast.  
"Orion and Aurora told me, it's a tradition, nobody goes to their third period on the first day." Noah said as he began to lead them down the corridor. "But Noah, don't you want to make a good first impression? What if we miss the basics? Or if-"  
"Oh my God, what is wrong with you Ava? Stop being so wet, you can be real moany sometimes jeez." Noah had turned to face her and wore a disgusted tired look on his face. They all stood silent for a moment, a loud group of students bustled past, knocking them, before Ava hurriedly wiped the tears off her eyes and whirled around, running down the corridor- her cloak flying behind her. 'I mean really?" Noah said, laughing, but Zach could tell from the way he looked at the ground that he knew he had done something wrong. He continued to lead them to the quad. "That was mean Noah." Makayla said, clamouring at his side.  
"Oh well, I'll apologise later." He waved his hand.  
"Noah, that was horrible." She said desperately, grabbing his arm.  
"I KNOW! Okay, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, right Zach?" He looked at Zach for support. "It was like something Daxton would do." Zach conceded. Defeated, Noah continued trudging on to the Quad.

They sat at a picnic table, on top of which was a small hamper. Noah set about, busying himself with digging deep into the bottomless picnic basket and pulling out full crockery and cutlery sets. Makayla, laughing at Noah, caught Zach's eye. "Umm Noah, we might as well just eat inside."  
Suddenly Noah stopped dishing out vegetables and throwing the pot onto the table exclaimed, "Well fine everyone hates me!" Again, there was an awkward moments silence before Zach and Makayla burst out laughing. "Nobody hates you." Zach gushed between breaths.  
"I know, I really was terrible to Ava wasn't I?"  
"She'll forgive you." Makayla rested her arm on his shoulder.  
"Yeah, she just really sweats school I think." Zach beamed.  
Makayla rolled her eyes. "You think?" She said sarcastically. They ate quickly and then hurried off before the bell marking third period began.

They were sat in the boathouse, their robes tucked up and their legs dangling in the water. They had stopped talking about Ava now and moved on to Madam Regents. "She's not been headteacher long." Noah continued. "She started the year before Orion. Before that she was the MACUSA Education Secretary. Dad wasn't too sure about her, she's an administrator not a teacher he said. But I think she's alright." Makayla stood up and looked at the mountains.  
"Wow." She whispered, gazing at the grey rock faces and the snowy peaks before suddenly turning around and pushing Noah into the water. He yelped out as he fell. Zach spun to Makayla. "Don't!" He exclaimed. She grabbed his shoulder but he grabbed her elbow and grinned as he fell back into the black water. He gasped for air as he came to the surface. Noah and Makayla were splashing at each other but Zach was just trying to get warm- the water was icy cold and he could feel it grasping at his skin and entering his blood. He laughed and joined in, splashing and dunking the other two. The sun was warm and it felt peculiar for his head to be cool and his body freezing. "Wait!" Noah said as Makayla and Zach were just about to throw him further out. They tread water, staying as still and silent as they could. "It was here! I saw them here.!" A voice trilled. Through the boathouse window they saw Elsie walking about five steps ahead of the man from last night, the one who had called off the party. His face, up close, was cruel and cold. Elsie rushed her hand through her thick black hair. "In here. Oh look, they've locked the door."  
"Quick." Makayla whispered before swimming underneath the boards. The water was shallower here and they could just about stand straight on the rocks. They jumped up and down with the waves. "But I saw them.." Elsie said from above them.  
"Miss Campbell. If we had found them, perhaps I would have forgiven you but alas now I must ask why were you not in class so you could see them?" The man said. "Back to the castle, your head of house can sort you out." They could hear her sniff repugnantly then turn around and stomp back to the school. The man took a moment, he walked out towards the far end of the boathouse until he was just above them. His feet treading on the floorboards had caused little particles to fall onto the three. He stood above them, still and quiet. Out of nowhere he suddenly slid to the side and pointed his wand where had stood. "Expulso!" He yelled and the floorboards had flew up into the air. He leant over and looked at them. "Well, well." He smiled before pulling them out one by one. They shivered by the window as he set about repairing the floor. Once he had, he strode to the door and flung it open. "Follow me." He commanded as he began to stride back up to the castle.

In an unlit, cold room he had left them for fifteen minutes. They were sat on three hard wooden chairs, their cloaks dripping onto the stone floor, opposite a large plain desk, on which were various files and wands. Noah hadn't said a word. "I can't believe we did that. I can't believe I was stupid enough to do that." Zach said to himself over and over again.  
"It was all of our fault, don't blame yourself." Makayla said, her arms had been crossed since they had been pulled out and she vowed to teach Elsie Campbell a lesson as soon as they got away. "No. I shouldn't have done that. I've come to this school and I had an opportunity to sort myself out and now I'm going to get expelled."  
"Wow, calm down Ava." Makayla smiled.  
"I don't know what you're laughing about." The voice said, startling them. The man had appeared in the chair at the desk. He tutted. "Truanting on the first day, my goodness we are brave. And stupid. And foolish." He toyed with them, speaking slowly yet harshly. "Whose idea was it? Come on." They were silent, Makayla stared him straight in the eye whilst Zach and Noah looked anywhere but at him. "One of you must have come up with it. So come on, who was it?" He looked at each of them once before taking a deep breath. "Very well, every day at six o'clock to eight o'clock until Christmas you will come here and write lines."  
"But-"  
"NO BUTS MISS PONDELIK. You should have spoken up a few seconds ago. It wont be that dull, at Christmas you can do Christmas lines." He smirked as he sat and his desk to begin thumbing through his files. "You may go."

"Christmas lines? What's that? What are lines?" Zach asked as they entered the library.  
"I'm not sure but every day for two hours? We're going to be exhausted." Makable replied.  
"SHH!" The librarian replied as they went up the circular stairs to Magical Control and Ethics.  
"I guess that was Arcelus, the head of discipline. Zelda told me about him. I'm sorry you two."  
"Don't be, it was our choice." Zach said, thrilled that he wasn't expelled. Makayla knocked on the door. A moment later it was opened by a man in sharp, tailored pinstriped robes. He had grey short hair but couldn't have been older than fifty five. "Ahh there are those misfortune miscreants, well come in come in. You've missed the first hour but we didn't do much, just an introduction to the course. Oh you are soaking stand over there." He gestured to the window and Zach was very conscious that all were staring at them. He pulled out his wand and, like a hose, sprayed them with warm air. A few seconds later, their hair standing on ends, they were dry. Zach took up a seat next to Ava who looked over him to smile at Noah, who ever so gratefully smiled back. Professor Westley lively and energetically explained the concepts of control. Every witch and wizard has a certain amount of power in them, he said, in control they'd learn how to both expand and curb their powers growth and how regulate the amount of magical power a spell would use. Ethics, he went on, would teach them the boundaries and limitations of magic, as well as being an opportunity to debate what makes dark or good magic and to what extent no-maj to wizard interactions should extend. He made them take copious notes on the history of control, but they didn't mind, he was so entertaining they didn't realise just how much work they were actually doing. Zach left with images of twelfth century German wizards accidentally destroying entire towns with a fire spell when trying to light a torch. Sometimes, it seemed to him, it was simpler to be a no-maj.

History of Magic was uneventful. They started with the story of Isolt Sayre and the establishment of Ilvermorny, which to Zach had all been very exciting until they had to just open their textbooks and list out every head of Ilvermorny and notable changes in their administration. "I didn't know that animals were banned until 1872, did you Zach?" Noah had asked.  
"No Noah, but to be fair to me I didn't know there was a place for animals to be banned from until a few weeks ago."  
"Oh yeah." Noah had giddily replied before putting his head back down to his work.

After their dinner, Noah had decided to take them all to the main common room to have it out with Orion. It was packed with students eating sweets and talking about their first days. Paper aeroplanes flew across the room and it was difficult for the four to keep together, let alone to find somebody new. Eventually after circumventing the room a few times they decided he must be in the Wampus dormitory. Makayla showed them out to the back courtyard where they came across a large trimming of a Wampus mid strike. Makayla stroked his head and there was a growling, rumbling sound as it moved out of the way and they saw stone staircases descending into the side of the hill. They went along a short corridor before openignan oak door, the room was tall and long. Plants and ivy plastered the walls and ceilings. From the ceilings hung hundreds of hammocks, besides which floated a chest. Numerous tables and chairs dotted the room and along the back was a huge fireplace with a great roaring fire. Noah hurriedly paced to the other side and began pulling on a rope. "What are you doing?" Ava asked, in awe of their common room.  
"This is so cool." Zach said to Makayla.  
"Are you kidding? The Thunderbird common room has birds! That's really cool and you can't fall out of your windows, it's so easy for you to get out."  
"Wait, what?" Zach turned to Makayla.  
"Zach look at this!" Ava said as the rope Noah pulled on turned various cogs that lowered some of the hammocks and raised the others. The students laughed as they went up and down and around. One older girl shrieked with anger as her papers fell out of her hammock and spread all over the floor. "We better be quick, I think that was Zelda." Noah laughed as he went over to Orion who was sat next to a blonde girl. "Orion."  
"Hey Noah, how was your first day? Hey guys." He waved at the others.  
"We got lines."  
"What?"  
"We truanted and we got lines."  
Orion burst out laughing and the girl smiled. "Oh my God, I cant believe you actually did that. The only ones who do that are Sam and Jamie but you did it. That's actually pretty cool, right?"  
"No it wasn't cool." Noah said through gritted teeth before jumping on Orion who fell back off his hammock. "I nearly lost my friends." He punctuated each sentence with a poorly aimed punch at Orions face.  
"Nice try." Orion said as he overcame him and pinned him on the floor. "Debate your way out of this one." Noah kicked him in the crotch and he fell over. Noah grabbed the other three. "We should probably go to my and Makayla's hammock now." He said before running to the other side of the room before Orion could get back up.


	8. Squibs and Such

Three weeks had past since what had become known as the 'Orion Incident' took place. As he was friends with Sam and Jamie, whose reputations as pranksters well preceded them, the four were being especially cautious; constantly watching their backs and apprehensively checking before turning corners. Daxton, however, had cottoned on to this and spent his time spreading rumours about the group being scared of ghosts, leading to a constant trail of 'ooooooohhs' following any of the four wherever they went. Not to mention Ilvermorny's actual ghosts, kindly as they were, who walked (?), or rather floated around the school with blood leaking down their fronts, it was a believable rumour. Zach found himself writing copious letters to his mother everyday, filled with detail, he just didn't want her to feel alone.

He told her all about Potions, where he had Professor Schussel, as of yet they had not made any potions but did lessons on sourcing ingredients as well as potion experimenting and testing. It was interesting but Zach just wanted to get started. The same couldn't be said for Defence Against the Dark Arts, for which Zach, or any other of Professor Raesidium students, hadn't opened their textbooks or made any notes, much to Ava's frustration, on account of doing practical activities every lesson. Raesidium was young and handsome with tousled black hair, his personal mantra seemed to be that 'books can't teach you the half of what its actually like.' (Ava actually snorted loudly at this.) Zach had seemingly mastered the disarming spell and found it fun in Charms, where she excelled, to send Ava's wand flying out of her mid incantation. This had had some negative effects on his own success in Charms but he tried, the spells just wouldn't work. On the weekends the four would study in the library or explore the castle, more then once had they been yelled at for entering restricted corridors or classrooms.

Zachary, Makayla and Noah had spent their days in lessons before hurriedly eating dinner as fast as they could before marching up to the Detention room in the Tower where they would be for two hours with fifteen or so other students, often Sam or Jamie, doing lines- having to write out textbooks. The parchment that Professor Arcelus had forced them to write on was coarse and scratched at their hands, their wrists ached from laboriously copying from dusty huge books. Although Zach must admit he found the subject matter quite interesting and that alleviated some of the punishments brutality. Arcelus would stride up and down the columns between the desk, occasionally stopping to glare at a students work, Noah often felt his stare burning into the back of his head. "I swear he must be a fire elemental" He would say emerging from the room scratching the back of his head. Following this they would sprint to their respective common rooms where they would work into the early hours of the morning completing their schoolwork. Ava would note the bags under their grey eyes over breakfast and both Makayla and Noah were too tired to come up with any sort of retort.

But something changed in the week where September turned to October. For starters aside from the trio there were only two others in the detention room, two Sixth Graders, until the door burst open and Arcelus pushed Daxton in, he smirked at Zach who scowled as he sat in the seat directly behind him. Arcelus sat down at his desk and with a flick of his wand the thick books from the shelf next to him began to fly off and settle on each of their desks, he motioned for them to begin. For fifteen minutes or so Daxton kicked the back of Zach's chair, Zachary clenched his fists and bit his tongue, trying desperately not to react. Makayla wasn't held back quite so easily and flicked her pen (they were supposed to be using quills) at Daxton's head. It hit him and he squealed. 'Miss Pondelik please.' Arcelus said, not looking up from his book.

'Sir it really hurt!" Daxton whined but Arcelus ignored him. 'SIR!" He shouted. Arcelus stood up straight and strode to him. He opened his mouth to speak when the room suddenly became enshrined in shadow. They all looked over to the window, the only source of light, where two figures hovered. They were white and their eyes glowed red. "Jesus Christ, they're dementors.' One of the Sixth Graders said.

Arcelus turned to face the window square on. 'Lumos.' He said, raising his wand, from which emitted a bright light. They could see now that the figures weren't at all menacing but actually students in white sheets with holes cut out for eyes where they held two red torches. 'Accio Sheets.' Arcelus barked. The windows swung open and the sheets billowed in and landed on the floor. They revealed Sam and Jamie standing precariously on their brooms. 'RIGHT!' Arcelus fumed, before storming out. "Colloportus.' They heard him incant from outside and the door bolted shut.

"I think he saw us Sam."

"Do you think so Jamie?" The pair grinned. 'Psst.' Sam said to the Sixth Graders. 'Hop on.' The Sixth Graders packed up their things quickly and ran to the window, where they carelessly leapt onto the back of the brooms. Sam and Jamie turned to leave. 'Hey!' Noah said. 'What about us?'

'Sorry pal, Orion's orders.' Jamie said before speeding off. Sam merely shrugged his shoulders and then followed him.  
'Typical Orion!' Noah cursed, slamming the windows shut. Zach went up to the door and pulled it with all his strength but it didn't move.  
"He locked it moron. God, No-Majs sometimes." Daxton laughed.

'I don't know what you're laughing at Daxton, you're stuck in here too.' Makayla retorted.

"Why don't we all try the unlocking spell?" Noah said, standing up and pointing his wand at the door. "Daxton, come on man, it'll take all of us to do it." But Daxton didn't move. Zach stood beside Makayla.

"What is the unlocking spell?" He whispered under his breath.  
Makayla looked shocked. "You haven't done it yet?"

"I think we did." He mumbled. "I wasn't really paying attention.' Zach knew full well that they had done the unlocking spell, that day in fact! He had wasted the lesson with Leon Hubbell, teaching him how to make a slingshot. In retaliation to them catapulting a ball of paper at her, Ava enchanted it so it followed them everywhere, giggling to itself as it hurled small pebbles at them. "How does she know how to do that?' Leon had said breathlessly as they turned a corner, hiding behind a suit of armor.  
'I don't know, she's still studying when I go to sleep and when I wake up she's already in the library before breakfast."

"If you don't mind I'm trying to sleep here!" The suit of armor bellowed, alerting the slingshot to their presence and they ran away.

"Its simple. Well it's not simple but it's easy enough to pronounce." Makayla smiled. 'Its alohamora.'

'Alohamora. Alohamora. Okay, got it.' Zach said repeating the wand movements Makayla was making.  
"You ready?' Noah said. "Okay, one, two three."

"ALOHAMORA!" The three shouted. Makayla tried the door but it wouldn't budge, Daxton just laughed.  
"It's okay, let's try again.' Noah said. 'One, two three!"

"ALOHAMORA!" They shouted again, this time there was a loud bang and a flash of white light that sent them flying backwards. Noah fell against the window, Makayla collapsed into a shelf and Zach flew against a corner. Daxton couldn't help himself laughing, he fell onto the floor with a thud and this made him laugh even more. "Well, it did something." Makayla said, dusting herself off and pointing to the door, which slammed, open and close repeatedly and quickly.

"I guess we could try and make a run through it." Zachary said, trying to ignore Daxtons laughter.  
"Oh yeah its fine, I've never really cared much for my fingers or feet anyway.' Noah chuckled before turning to Daxton. "If you're not going to try and help you can stop laughing."

"The Silva boys a squib, I think it's hysterical, no wonder your father left." Daxton stood up.

"Don't talk about my father." Zach said through gritted teeth.

"One look at poor magic-less you, no wonder he ended up the way he did.'

'You don't know what you're talking about."

'Daxton stop he doesn't know." Noah pleaded.

"I don't know what?" Zach said. "All of you seem to know about it, if it's so terrible you wouldn't even mention it."

"No, White's right. I shouldn't say, it'll be much funnier when you find out for yourself. I'll tell you something though, your father is absolute scum and honestly I think you're better off without him." Daxton said before squealing as Zach pulled out his wand, he couldn't stop it from sparking red at its tip. "Zach, stop!" Makayla warned. Zach turned to her and whilst he did Daxton whipped his wand out. "Come on then Silva, show us what your daddy taught you. Go on, or are you too scared? Worried about what your mommy might say? She's already handled one disappointment what's another?"

"Expelliarmus!" Zach shouted and Daxton's wand flew out of his hand and clattered onto the floor. Zach threw his wand at his feet and leapt at him. They fell to the floor and Zach ripped at his face, punching and punching him. Daxton grabbed him and rolled so he was on top. He started to punch him in the stomach. "STOP IT!" Makayla yelled and it took her and Noah to rip him off. Zach's nose was bleeding and his hands were bloody and raw. Daxton came off decidedly worse. His face was covered in blood and badly bruised, he spat at them before throwing a chair between the door, jumping over it and storming down the corridor.

Makayla and Noah helped Zach to his feet and through the door. They sat him down on a ledge. He was crying. "Zach, Zach come on what's wrong? Did he hurt you that bad?" Makayla said, inspecting his hands.

"Who is my dad, Noah?" Zach said through his tears. "Everyone knows him and nobody tells me anything. I thought he was good, famous, one of those authors, that's what Feidhelm told me when I met him."

"Aurors." Noah corrected.

"Them. But now I'm not so sure. Some people are scared of me in the corridors, they skirt as far around me as possible. I don't get it. He left before I was born, he went on a plane to Mexico, it crashed and he died. Why is everyone like this?"

"I can't tell you." Noah said.

"Noah, please." Zach blubbed.

"None of us can." Makayla said. "There's an embargo curse on the story at the school, its strengthened around you. Regents will tell you when you're ready I'm sure."

"It just sucks that everybody knows but me." Zach said, wiping his eyes. His hands really stung now.

"Come on, let's get you to the medical ward." Noah said, putting Zach's arm over his shoulder and walking him down to the Sanatorium. A three-floor building near the main castle. They knocked on the door and a tall man in a white cloak opened it. "Come on in Mr?" He said opening the door.

'Hunter. Zachary Hunter." Zach said, entering the San. The walls were wooden with intricate designs that moved and acted out little scenes. Master Virum, the tall man, led him to an examining table. He turned to Makayla and Noah. "Mr. Hunter will see you outside." He said harshly, pulling the curtains around the table shut. He took Zach's fingers, red with dried blood. "Well, I guess you fell down the stairs as well?' Zach's mind went black, he hadn't thought of a single cover story. He opened his mouth to speak. "Don't worry, I'll let this one, as it's your first, slide." Virum interjected, he had moved on to Zach's forehead. 'Put this ointment on your eye for a week and that black eye should die down." He said passing Zach a jar full of light blue cream. "Black eye?" Zach asked. Virum turned him so he faced a mirror. He slid off the table and inspected his eye. It was black, and big and his eye was bloodshot. He sighed. "Did a boy called Daxton come in?"

"He did." Virum nodded, "very badly hurt. It's difficult to fix wounds with magic when they weren't inflicted by magic." Zach gulped. "You can wait here for ten minutes, have a drink of water, calm down but then I want you to go straight to your common room." Virum said before turning and leaving the room.

Zach sat down on the table for a moment before having a look around the room, it had all the trappings of a regular doctors office. Bored, he decided to leave but couldn't remember which partition he had come in through.. Hesitant, he pulled back a partition where he saw Daxton. He was lying in bed asleep, to be fair his face looked badly beaten. Zach walked tentatively to his bedside. "I'm sorry Daxton." He whispered. "I didn't want to hurt you that bad but…it was just what you said it really got to me." Zach didn't know what to do. "I really am sorry. I used to get into scrapes like this all the time back home and I wanted this to be a fresh start, I really did but now they're probably going to kick me out and I'll be done as a wizard. Not that I'm much of a wizard now, you were right I am a squib." He was struggling to hold back tears.

"You're not a squib." A kind yet firm voice said from behind him. Zach turned around startled, he wiped his eyes quickly. It was Madam Regents, she was smiling at him somewhat forcedly. "We're not going to kick you out either.' Zach flashed a nervous smile at her. "Would you walk with me back to the castle Hunter? I've been waiting for an opportunity like this to talk to you. How about you take a second to collect yourself and I'll meet you outside." She turned and the partitions rolled aside for her. Zach took a deep breath, dabbed at his eyes with a tissue and followed her.


	9. All Hallows Eve

There was a chill in the air as Zach came outside. The sun was setting beyond the mountain and this had thrown the castle against a pink sky. Madam Regents stood at the bottom of the steps to the San smoking a pipe. She heard the door slam shut and turned to him. "Ahh, Zach, feeling better?" He nodded quickly. "Good. We should get going." She waited as he came down the steps before she led him away from the main grounds and towards the forest.

The forest was heavily sheltered by the trees and they were very dark, Zach was somewhat fearful. "We won't head into the woods, don't worry." She said almost reading his mind. "I like to think of the area as a series of circles. You've got the grounds, the forests, the mountains that we constructed out of the lake, the lake, the woods and some administrative buildings, more mountains and then the world."

"How do you get out? Y'know if you need something or have to go to a meeting or whatever?" Zach asked.

"Well we can fly over the mountains, obviously."

"Obviously."

This had made Regents laugh, her laugh was shrill and warm. "There's the underground tunnels, the tunnels through the constructed mountains to the boats across the lake." There followed a brief silence as they trod along the woods side. "I'll tell you something Zach, I've been here for what thirty years now? Not to mention as a student, and I have yet to explore I'd say forty per cent of the castle and its grounds. Now, this unpleasantness with Daxton, whilst I must say I don't condone violence I am thoroughly impressed that you have mastered the Expelliarmus charm. You most certainly are not a squib." She smiled at him, but for Zach this wasn't the more pressing matter. "Okay, but, Madam, I don't understand this deal about my dad. Feidhelm says he was an auror, a great auror, my mom said this school and magic made him…I don't know what it made him! Then I thought he was some great wizard but here, people seem scared of me but they still don't tell me anything. Apparently there's some embargo and-"

"People never know the full story Zach, they only hear what people have wanted them to." She seemed to say this with a pang of awkwardness that puzzled Zach still. "That doesn't explain why nobody's told me anything, why you still haven't told me anything."

"I know it's frustrating but it's out of my control, out of any of our control. When your father um, when your father died a decision was made by a committee assembled by the NEMACUSA to not tell you anything, out of concern for your safety and wellbeing. I wish I could tell you and I know this hurts. One day I promise I will tell you, I will tell you everything you have ever wanted to know. I swear it Zach." Her voice was starting to waver and she tucked her hair behind her ears. "I will speak to Arcelus about your lines."

"What about Noah and Makayla, and um Daxton?" Zach said nervously, although he said Daxtons name under his breath.

"And the others, although you two will be punished for fighting, of course."

"Of course. Thank you." Zach said, starting to head off to the castle. He got halfway before turning and running back to her. "Madam, I have to know though, my father, was he good or bad?"

She merely smiled, "My lips are sealed. Go to your friends I'm certain they'll all be worried sick about you."

"Goodbye Madam."

"Goodnight Zach." He sprinted up to a door to the castle. As he opened the door he looked over at where Madam had stood but she had disappeared.

He bounded along the corridors, occasionally running into students and slowing down when teachers approached. He burst into the First Grade common room and quickly scanned the room for Ava or the others. He noticed he was getting a glance more often then usual and the whispers that followed him seemed slightly more vicious. Resigned to an early night he meandered his way back to the dormitory. After sliding through the passageway Ava slung her arms around him. 'Zach! I was so worried about you, Noah told me what happened. Are you okay?"

'I'm fine." He said, noticing the slew of birds flocking around her. "Do they normally do this?' He asked, he had not known the birds to come down further than the sixth grade bunks. "No, it's totally bizarre! What happened?"

"Madam Regents spoke to me." He said as she led him to a table.

"SHE SPOKE TO YOU!?" Ava burst. "Oh my God, she never personally speaks to anyone. What did she say?"

"Nothing really. I'm still trying to make sense of it. She said so much about my dad without really saying anything. There's an embargo on his name."

"That makes sense. I really wish there was a way that I could give you all of the answers that you need." Ava said biting her lips.

"There's no way. Don't worry about it." Zach said kicking the chair with his foot gently.

"Well, since Noah won't tell you anything, how about" she thought for a moment and, coming across an idea, her eyes sprung to life, "What if I were to find out and then we could try different ways for me to tell you, see if that works?"

Zach looked up "Yeah, it's worth a try."

She beamed at him. "Excellent I'll get started on it tomorrow."

Daxton spent the next week and a half in the Sanatorium. He hobbled into Transfiguration class and everybody turned to Zach to see his response. Zach tried his best to ignore them, staring straight ahead at the blackboard. Every so often they would catch each other's eye and look away hurriedly, each of them ashamed. Ava, after Noah or anyone refused to answer her questions, had been spending her evenings in the library, poring over tome after tome of recent history. She would enter the First Grade Common room yawning and rubbing her tired eyes having found nothing of any relevance.

It was nearing to Halloween and rumours were flying about the horror film that would be shown in the one of the hidden dungeons. "It's a tradition, Orion told me about it. They sneak in a, oh God Zach what do you call it? Oh yes a projector and they play a horror film. Everyone's invited, what do you say? Should we go?" Noah garbled quickly.

"I don't like horror films." Ava said.

"Well you don't' have to come then." He retorted. "Zach, Makayla?"

"Sure." Makayla smiled. "You in Zach?"

"Okay." He said feigning delight but in actuality terrified. His mom had never ever let him watch an older film before.

"Excellent. On Halloween night lets meet outside the common room and see if we can make our way."

The Halloween feast was spectacular; floating pumpkins, dancing skeletons, ghosts performing Shakespearean plays and singing in spooky quartets. On festive occasions such as this the students were made to sit at house tables. Following the main course, Regents stood up, made the usual announcements before bellowing "And as the No-Majs say 'Trick or treat'" With a flick of her wand black gift boxes appeared in front of each student. There was a mad dive to open them and tear through the thick cobwebs. There were squeals and screams when some people pulled out a scrabbling rat or spider but others cheered as they held a bar of chocolate or a packet of candy. Once they had all been dismissed everybody hurried out into the entrance hall so that they could find each other and set off for the dungeon. Ava took Zach's hand and, running, led him to the common room where Noah and Makayla were waiting. 'Did you bring your extra cloaks? It's freezing in the dungeons." Ava asked. They lifted up the cloaks in their hands in response. 'Right, lets go." Noah said.

Noah was leading them up corridors, down corridors, bounding down stairs four at a time. They had gone on like this for about fifteen minutes before Makayla made them stop. "Admit it, you don't know where you're going."

"I do. I really do. I know it's around here somewhere. You've got to push a wall or something."

"Right, so why don't we go around all the walls in the castle and push each of them, that way we might at least get to see the films credits!" Makayla retorted. There was a tapping of footsteps hurrying down the stairway behind them. "Quick." Zach said forcing them into a cupboard. "In here." They all fumbled in and Zach knelt down looking through the keyhole. There was silence. The footsteps had gone and so too apparently had the person they'd belonged to. All Zach could hear was the breathing of him and his friends. Suddenly a green eye appeared at the keyhole and there was subsequent banging. "Are you guys looking for the film?" The person whispered.

"Umm, yes." Zach said.

"Who is it?" asked Noah.

"OW! Makayla you stepped on my foot."

"Sorry."

"I know where it is. I think. Come out and we can go together." Zach pushed forward on the door and all four of them tumbled out into a bundle. The girl laughed, she was pretty aside from her teeth that were considerably large for her face. She had straight black hair and a large crooked smile.

"Hello! I'm Rosie Li I'm in Pukwudgie." She extended a hand forward and the others introduced themselves.

"Did you say you know where the hidden dungeon is?' Makayla asked.

"What? Oh, yes. Follow me!" She said before turning and bounding down the corridor.

A few turns later they came to a dead end. A large giant statue stood sentry before the wall. "Give us a leg up." Rosie said to Zach who boosted her up onto the Giants knee. She scrambled up and stood on the giants shoulder before reaching over and tickling the giant's chin. There was a rumble as its shoulders began to heave and its head tipped back as it let out a bellowing laugh. With Rosie on his back he turned to face the wall and pushed. It opened like a regular door. He picked Rosie up and placed her on the wall. They followed her inside the dark tunnel, picking up a torch on the way. She walked next to Ava and whispered, "The trick is you have to make him laugh."

They ambled down the corridor, ducking whenever bats flew overhead. It seemed to get smaller and smaller. Soon enough they heard music, squeals and manic laughter. Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a huge room, along the back wall hung a large canvas and everywhere else was seats and cushions on each one was a student shrouded in black. Ava was right, it was cold. They had to edge around the projector as it stood in front of the entrance. Zach surveyed the room, looking for somewhere to sit. He looked to his right and leaning on the wall was Fiedhelm. He ran up to him. "Fiedhelm!" He said.

'Zachary! My man, how are you? Here have some of this." He said offering his popcorn.

"I'm good." He smiled stuffing his face. "These are my friends." He said, gesturing airily behind him, too preoccupied with the popcorn. "Hello friends."

"We're looking for somewhere to sit. Can you help us?" Makayla asked.

"I'm afraid not but you can stand back here with me." He said passing the popcorn down the line to Rosie. "Oh look, we've missed most of it already." Noah said to Zach pointing at the screen. A man was looking through a hotel room, searching for something. "You don't know." Zach whispered back. They watched the film; it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. But, towards the end when a man chased his son through a frozen made Zach felt a sudden chill pass through him. At first he thought it was a ghost but then his arms slowly felt very heavy as did his head, he was struggling to breathe. He panicked. He tugged at the Noah's sleeve. "I have to go. I don't feel well." He heard the words but they didn't seem to be coming from his mouth. "Bye Fiedhelm."

"What's wrong you tired? I'll see you around." He asked.

Zach grunted in reply. He walked past the others and edged around the projector. "Zach! Zach" Ava whisper shouted after him.

He was walking as fast as he could down the corridor. He had left his light and was feeling his way along the wall. He stumbled and fell against the wall. Unable to find the energy to continue he leant on the wall and feeling around the uneven stone pulled himself along. He had a sudden feeling and retched on the floor. He had to get out, he kept moving. He thought he saw a figure ahead. But then he could have imagined it, something funny was wrong with his head. He kept going. He stopped abruptly, Daxton was standing in front of him. His face was still bruised but wasn't half as bad as it had been. His figure, as Zach saw it, wavered and moved.

"I've been looking for you." He said seriously. "I want to find Gormlaith Gaunt." Zach fainted.


End file.
